Paper, Rock, Scissors
by ewen
Summary: Xani trains Ani, Jinn has or had Obi, but yet another former apprentice{Quinlan Vos} will interfere
1. Default Chapter

Title: Paper, Rock, Scissors   
  
Time Period: Jedi Apprentice [AU]   
  
Characters: Jinn, Kenobi, Xanatos, Anakin Skywalker. AND QUINLAN JOS,[later]   
  
Synopsis: Master Jinn finds the 'Chosen One'. He convinces the council to allow his former apprentice, Knight Crion to train him. The training is to be under his watchful eye but is against Obi-Wan's desire for him to do so. (In my story Ani is fourteen and Obi is thirteen}   
  
As always, [italics denotes thoughts or mind speech]   
  
"Mr. Qui-Gon sir, can I go up to the pilot and see how this little baby operates? I have an infinite desire to conquer being able to pilot every ship in the galaxy."   
  
Jinn's pearly white teeth, everyone of them showed in the smile he flashed his new found force sensitive. He had taken the liberty of checking Anakin Skywalker's midichlorians and was astounded at what he found. Never mind that the council would raise a fit over someone out in the field checking a midichlorian count. Initiates were not to have their count made public record until after or if they became knights. Master Jinn didn't even know what Obi-Wan's was.   
  
This boy, Anakin Skywalker was special. Jinn felt it when they first met and watched in awe at the capabilities in the force from this untrained one that would surpass his own apprentices', who had lived at the temple all of his life, minus one year as an infant.   
  
"Yes Ani, you may go up front but please do not interrupt the pilot. If he allows you to inspect the ship, then please my all means do it."   
  
Obi-Wan sat somber and dejected in the corner. He knew his master hadn't tried to ignore him. He wasn't sure why Qui-Gon made such a *too do* about this one, but even he felt something special about him and he was only a padawan.   
  
//No telling what the council will feel through the force about *Ani*. And I suspect my master know even more about the boy.//   
  
Obi-Wan had eavesdropped enough to know that Master Jinn, his master, told his grand master, Yoda the boy had a midichlorian count almost equal to Master Yoda's and unlike some force sensitives, it was still increasing.   
  
Obi felt less than adequate as a padawan now as he thought his midichlorians must be at the lowest level of acceptance as a Jedi for he had had so much trouble with his last kata. So much so, his master had insisted he stop and go back to the easier one.   
  
"Padawan, Attend me, NOW!!!!"   
  
The words spoken to him by his master did not hold the endearing tone to them that his words to Ani did and they weren't accompanied with the pearly-toothed smile.   
  
Jinn's command to Obi-Wan was with a furrowed brow and a look of displeasure for his apprentice. Obi knew it was because of something he had done.. In fact he was sure it was because he had been a little "cold shoulder" to the other boy. Yes, they were close in age and actually Ani was a year older, but his master reminded Obi, 'Ani' only seemed younger because he had had no Jedi training. He also explained to Obi-Wan that his master expected him to be the diplomat of the two. Show him around Qui-Gon said, make him comfortable on the ship, and when they returned to the temple.   
  
//Yeah right, like that is going to happen. I want to stay as far way from this one. His personality is that of Bruck's Chun's and Master should realize how well we *don't* get along. Master's little pathetic life forms he brings home always end up being cared for by me. I don't need an initiate, no matter if he is a chosen one following me around when I have my own friends to be with.//   
  
At that time Obi-Wan never dreamed his master would push for and succeed in having Anakin Skywalker made an apprentice immediately upon arrival to the Jedi temple.   
  
"Yes Master, Did you want me?"   
  
"Not particularly, except to say I detest your attitude and I also resent the treatment you have seen fit to bestow on *Ani*. He will be fearful of the entire Jedi temple after having spent the last two weeks on this ship with you. Punishment my boy will be in my utmost thought when I get Ani settled at the temple. For now I want you meditate on your actions. Meditate through the evening until I have given you leave to get up off your knees."   
  
His tone was curt and it cut Obi-Wan to his soul. It was not so often his master could have so much displeasure with the boy when Obi really hadn't' done anything or so he thought.   
  
The door to their shared cabin created a breeze that left goose bumps on the padawan's skin. He supposed it was the draft of the door that caused the sudden chill but he knew deep down differently. The chill that crept over him as his master left was from the treatment of him by his master. Until now, things between them had… well… had been tolerable. Something about this new force sensitive put fear in Obi, heart and soul.   
  
//Master seems quite taken with this boy. I shouldn't worry though. He can't train two and he wouldn't just break our bond to take another student in my place.//  
  
The *chicken skin* was definitely caused by his master's action for him because with those thoughts, Obi shivered again with a cold chill.   
  
#####On Coruscant, at the temple####   
  
Obi walked a good ten steps back and away from his master. He caught his breath a moment and held it when he saw Xanatos Crion already standing before the council.   
  
He and Xani hadn't really become like siblings as some padawans and knights do when they share a master. There was a noticeable distant between Obi and Xani.. Obi wasn't sure if it was because of him being jealous of Xani or vice versus. Both seemed possessive of their master, even to the point of being "clingy", as Master Yoda described it.   
  
This new force sensitive, Anakin Skywalker stood proudly two steps back and to the left, a spot which should by right be Obi-Wan Kenobi's, the real apprentice to the Jedi master, Qui-Gon Jinn.   
  
That in itself had alarmed Obi, though he knew that the conversation his master was to have with the council masters had nothing really to do with him. "I hope."   
  
Jinn plastered an angry glare on his face. Obi-Wan could tell just by that familiar glare and the deep-seeded frown, Qui-Gon was not in the mood to listen to any objections the council masters had for him or for his new little prodigy.   
  
"Masters, you have to see it. The boy *is* special."   
  
"Special he may be, here to argue that point, we are not, Master Jinn. Too old to train he is. Not possible padawan mine."   
  
Yoda had never stopped calling Qui-Gon Jinn his apprentice. He had been twenty five years before and he was Yoda's last apprentice. Wore him out, Yoda always affectionately claimed.   
  
"Look Master, I have spoken with Knight Crion. He is willing to help me train both of them. He can form a training bond with Ani and I will be there to help as he will be there to assist me with Obi-Wan's training."   
  
"When stated that way, sounds effectual it does. Willing you are, Knight Crion to train the boy, become his master?"   
  
Before Xani could step up and reply Yoda turned to Jinn again and started in with him.   
  
"You, Master Jinn, if remember correctly have a few queries as to Knight Crion's abilities since his knighthood."   
  
Though he didn't blush, Jinn felt a certain heat rise from around the collar of his Jedi tunic. He didn't like being reminded that he himself doubted Xani's ability at being a knight. He fought non-stop to see his apprentice, Xanatos Crion become a knight before he became one because the council themselves had questions about him and his intentions. However, after Jinn won Xani the right to be knighted, he began to see what the council thought they saw.   
  
//They must be thinking of that, as I am. I will be there every step of the way to see the boy is trained and does not stray to the dark side. I know the force itself tells me to be wary of him, but if I see personally that he is trained the way he should be??????……//   
  
"What say you Master Jinn, willing you are to allow the one to train Anakin Skywalker that you yourself question his own ability as a Jedi?"   
  
Jinn was stumped. Yes, he questioned Xani's ability and though it stung to have it brought out in the open, it was especially difficult with the his former apprentice, Knight Crion just to his right listening to every word.   
  
"I never said I didn't' trust Xani and you know it. Had I not trusted him, he wouldn't be a knight."   
  
//I hope what I am saying to the council is the truth. It is what I force myself to believe though my crafty former master is able to see right through me and know the truth whether I speak it or not.//   
  
Jinn waited, waited for a word from Yoda that would announce that he'd just said were untruths. He himself didn't know the entire truth where Xanatos was concerned and maybe neither did Yoda. The thing with Yoda was, what he thought was the truth would be pronounced so.   
  
The other council masters had sat silently and watched Jinn and Yoda parley their arguments back and forth. All knew if Yoda wanted it, it would be.   
  
Jinn would train Anakin in a round about way. However if Master Yoda was against it, Jinn was fighting a lost battle. The council masters knew it. Both the present and past padawans to Jinn knew it, but the stubbornness in the overly large Jedi master would not allow Yoda to have the last word.   
  
Yoda knew his former and most precious padawan wanted to win this argument, though something through the force told Master Yoda it might not be the wisest to train this boy. In fact had Yoda spoken the truth in his mind he would have had to say that the force told the Jedi, all of them to get away from this one as soon as possible and as far. However even he thought because the boy was young, yet too old to train there might be worth in him.   
  
//Feel it I do, strong in the force this Skywalker is. Feel I also do that problem he could be. Close eye on him we should keep. If one there is one among us incapable of turning to the dark side, my apprentice Jinn it is. Better to have him oversee the child in a round-about- way.//   
  
"Very well, hear my thoughts on this all of you will. Agree I do, strong in the force this one is."   
  
All the masters including the leery Mace Windu, shook their heads in agreement.   
  
"Agree with you I also do watch the boy we should. Dark side he should not suffer temptation from. Learn to control raw energy the force has bestowed upon him. Possible this can be. Xanatos Crion here before us now agrees to it as well?"   
  
Xanatos bowed to the council masters, with his eyes steadfastly fixed on Master Yoda presence, with nothing but utmost respect. He waited a monet with at touich of hesitancy. He wondered if Master Yoda was finally going to let him speak or interrupt him again. Finally he realized Yoda expected an answer this time.   
  
"Yes Master, I accept Master Jinn's offer. If the boy is agreeable, I will become his master."   
  
Xani couldn't be happier. To have the 'Chosen One' fall right in his lap was certainly a stroke of luck. To have the council and his master behind him in his training was even more than sheer luck. To have a boy that hardly needed to be trained because of his immense power through the force was indeed a gift Xani wouldn't turn down.   
  
//Makes being a master so much easier when they aren't as incapable of things as Obi-Wan Kenobi is.//  
  
No one noticed the slight smirk of a smile on Xani's face as they left the council chambers.   
  
##################   
  
For the fourth time that day Obi-Wan had failed miserably a the fifth kata but watched as Anakin Skywalker, a padawan for only two weeks best him step for step in the kata. It was the same kata Obi had trouble with before they found Ani and he still hadn't found a way to master it yet.   
  
Yes, the new padawan learned his lessons well, whether in the class with his books under the watchful eyes of young knight instructors, ready to pounce if he made a mistake, or in saber training under the watchful prideful eyes of their shared masters Crion and Jinn.   
  
He was not a likeable boy at the temple and Obi-Wan understood why. He believed this new padawan knew more than the teacher instructing him. The really bad thing about it Anakin Skywalker believed he was more intelligent than any one around him. What made the entire situation almost insufferable was Obi-Wan's master and his surrogate one, Xanatos Crion was under the same belief as their new little super pad wan; he knew all could do all, and was the pride of both masters.   
  
################   
  
Knight Crion was advising his apprentice Anakin Skywalker and Jinn's padawan, Obi-Wan Kenobi in the art of saber handling and katas in their saber usage.   
  
Master Jinn was always there normally to see that the training went equally well for both apprentices and for that Obi-Wan was thankful. His master was far more fair in his training of the two than Knight Crion was.   
  
However, Master Jinn had been pulled away from the training over the last few days because of a pending mission that the four might have to go on. He had held council with two masters who considered which missions were for which masters, a representative from the Coruscant defense ministry, and the primary senator of Alderran, Balastar Organa.   
  
Concerns over frequent attacks on the people of Alderran by the Hutts had been the topic of their conversation. It was suspected the attacks were being fueled directly by the dark side; the reason as of yet unknown. That would be Jinn's job, if they were dispatched to the planet, to find out why such an assault had been mounted against the peace-loving people of Alderran.   
  
"Let's give up on the katas for awhile, shall we? It would be quite difficult to teach you a more difficult kata while Padawan Kenobi has to be trained on an easier one."   
  
Crion enjoyed demoralizing Jinn's apprentice. He enjoyed it so much he didn't even notice that Master Jinn had entered the practice arena and chose a place high in the bleachers to watch the training. He still had several data pads with the information from Senator Organa about his home world, in his hands. He intended to continue studying them while he watched the end of the practice session. He would find later he would have no time for reading or anything else.   
  
Qui-Gon intentionally wanted to go unnoticed. He wanted to see how his own apprentice was doing, how Crion taught the two, and how well Ani was progressing. He had to keep from busting with pride over the fact that the boy had bested his apprentice in the katas. Jinn attributed his enthusiasm for Ani to do well because he personally discovered him.   
  
//I know how proficient Obi-Wan is when he wants to be. I will have to have him meditate tonight on staying focused. //  
  
While Knight Crion failed to notice Jinn, neither Ani or Obi let the master's presence go unnoticed. Ani was in a hurry to show Master Qui-Gon, the one who found him, how well he could do.   
  
//What better way to do it than to out do his own apprentice in everything we both attempt together. I bet Qui-Gon sir hates it when I show him how powerful I really am and he is stuck with little Kenobi. //  
  
*Little Kenobi* had quickly become the nickname Ani gave to Obi, because he was a good six inches shorter than the taller Anakin Skywalker. No he didn't use it in front of Master Jinn, but Obi and his master, Master Crion had heard him call Obi that.   
  
Obi-Wan hadn't said anything for fear his master would say he was being petty toward the other apprentice. As for Xani, he was amused by it.   
  
Ani had to admit it felt more comfortable with Master Xani as his mentor. He was allowed to be more himself, be more of his vicious, know-it-all self. Master Crion encouraged the heated rivalry between the boys, with the hope always that his padawan would come out on top. It put a gleam in the young master's eyes when his padawan showed up Obi-Wan and he liked nothing better than to have an audience of other padawans, knights, and masters in the training arena when it happened.   
  
Anakin and his master, Crion had become like brothers in a way and their bond just kept getting stronger and stronger.   
  
Master Jinn was a little surprised that the two boys were to engage in a mock duel with their sabers. He had very clearly instructed Crion to work on the fifth Kata with the two of them.   
  
//Oh well, I will just speak to Xani about it later. There must have been some mix-up about what I told him to do. //  
  
Jinn never thought that his former apprentice just rushed ahead, ignored Jinn's instructions to him, and all because he knew there was a growing audience of teetering little awe-struck padawans, around them.   
  
//Another excellent opportunity to put Jinn's little apprentice in his place with the help of *MY* 'Chosen One'.//   
  
Xani did what he wanted, the way he wanted it done.   
  
In the beginning Jinn felt sorry for Padawan Skywalker. The other padawans clearly cheered on their friend and more likeable apprentice, Obi-Wan.   
  
The cheers that rang through Ani's ears for Obi-Wan Kenobi only increased his desire to beat him in the mock duel which at the moment seemed more intense than a mock duel.   
  
Master Jinn felt the force's power swirl around the arena. Everyone grew quiet as the battle became more intense than the usual mock duel between two trained apprentices. This was more like a battle between good and evil and the only thing the Jedi audience had to do was to figure out which was good and which came from evil itself.   
  
Someone on the training floor, in the battle, was using the force in a ruthless reckless way to beat his opponent. That was not acceptable by any apprentice to let his anger get way from him and harbor a desire to actually harm his opponent but any master who watched knew one fought out of anger and not in defense in a battle as a properly trained Jedi should.   
  
Obi-Wan had landed a couple of good blows to Ani's arms that singed his tunic sleeves, but no really good convincing hit had been made by either boy. That is until A fiery-eyed Anakin Skywalker lunged at Obi-Wan right after being stung by his saber.   
  
It was not from a natural lunge. Grasps escaped the lips of several older masters, Jinn included, as they watched. A lunge of that distance and with that power could only have been done with a very deliberate and massive use of the force to power it.   
  
Obi-Wan sidestepped Anakin Skywalker's lunge and the saber in front of him. When Anakin fell to the floor with a very loud hard thud, the boy became even more angry at Obi-Wan than he was before.   
  
Xani felt his anger through their bond, but chose to ignore it and to ignore the fact that Ani was pulling power from the force feverishly. He was too into the fight to even care how his apprentice won, just as long as he won.   
  
Jinn felt the anger build from the floor and suspected it was from Anakin and not his apprentice, Obi-Wan. He sat there a moment and waited for Xanatos to intercede, break up the fight, which he assumed Xani would.   
  
Master Jinn thought it would look bad if he stepped into what was Xani's instructions of the two apprentices. The knights and masters would think Jinn had no confidence in his former apprentice if he broke up the fight. .   
  
Anakin lay on the floor and allowed his powers be fed by his anger freely and intentionally. Obi-Wan whipped around quickly to offer his opponent assistance up off the floor.   
  
He actually had his hand extended to offer assistance when all of the sudden Ani's saber flew out in front of him. Obi jumped to avoid being struck in the shins with it, but when he did, he realized to his horror that the his jump was being powered by the other boy's own connection to the force. Ani used his power to accelerate and accent Obi's jump.   
  
Obi-Wan jetted a good thirty feet in the air and was tossed to the other side of the arena against the wall. He landed on the hard pine-wood finished floor in a crumpled heap of broken bones, oozing blood, and unbearable pain.   
  
Pain combined with embarrassment flushed the apprentice's face a bright pink. He held in, quite admirably, the moan that wanted to come from his mouth because of the growing pain.   
  
Suddenly knelt down before him, at first thought, like a guardian angel, was Qui-Gon Jinn, his dutiful master. However, with another glance through his blurred vision, Obi-Wan saw a *different* look on his master's face, even though his master had very gently slid his large arm under his neck to help eliminate the pressure the hard wood floor created on his already throbbing head. Through the blinding pain which caused him not to think clearly, Obi-Wan recognized that *look*.   
  
His master didn't really have that angelic-like appearance. He resembled more a man directed by anger and dismay all in one. Propelled by the emotions of fire and ice.   
  
The ice was the cooling touch of his master's hands that touched the already fevered skin around the broken bones. The fire was not from Obi's fever, but from his master's eyes. It was overwhelmingly evident along their bond and those fiery lit blue eyes of Qui-Gon Jinn's that he was disappointed and embarrassed that Anakin Skywalker, two weeks into his Jedi apprenticeship training had managed to not only best his apprentice but do him bodily harm.   
  
Whether his thoughts were true or not it was enough to make Obi-Wan in more pain, just with the thought that he had disappointed his master.   
  
It felt good, less stressing to allow unconsciousness to claim what little bit of coherency he had left. Obi-Wan's eyes closed with his master's confused gaze still directed on him, yet not a word had been spoken between the two.   
  
################   
  
Master Jinn waited outside the examining room. Healer Belk thought that odd for the master who usually was so adamant about staying with his apprentices when injured. What the healer found even more odd was the pain Obi-Wan suffered hadn't abated since being brought to the healer's ward.   
  
"Master Jinn, I am sorry to bother you, but would you mind stepping in here a moment?"   
  
Jinn raised his head from the data pad he had been hard at work on. With one eyebrow raised in query as to why the healer was out out with him and not in tending to Obi-Wan, he spoke.   
  
"Yes, of course."   
  
Master Jinn laid his work down in the chair and followed the Master Healer into Obi-Wan's room. As soon as the healer closed the door, he started to explain the confusion he had over Obi-Wan's injury and the inability to control the pain.   
  
"I would like to set the bones broken Master Jinn, but as of yet your apprentice had not been able to gain control of his pain."   
  
"Ah, so that is what is taking so long. Maybe my apprentice is not as adept in the ways of self-healing as I thought he was. Nevertheless, I can assure you he has been trained up to the level he should be. I can also assure you he did an excellent job of grasping that training. Maybe the shock of the injury is keeping him from inducing a self healing trance."   
  
"I don't question his training. I am sure he is doing all he can to hold his pain at bay. I wondered though, have *YOU* enacted an additional connection with him, a healing one to reinforce his own healing with a wave of your own healing force?"   
  
Jinn remained silent. He would not direct his gaze to the healer and certainly not on his little padawan who lay on the gurney and still battled immense pain.   
  
"Let me assure you yet again, if there is anything wrong with my apprentice it is only because of the shock of his injury."   
  
"Please Master Jinn, you jump to conclusions too quickly and in quit a hysterical state. What is the saying, you protest *TOO* much."   
  
The healer gave Master Jinn time to regain control of his rapid breathing and to stop darting his eyes suspiciously back and forth.   
  
"I am not questioning the ability of your apprentice, I question whether you extended to Padawan Kenobi, courteously and dutifully your healing aid from the force?"   
  
Now Master Jinn seemed to become even more disoriented and agitated by the healer's words to him. His temper bordered anger, but for who and over what?   
  
"Oh Healer Belk, I know very well what is said behind my back; that I ignore my apprentice for the 'Chosen One'. It isn't true and you of all people should know that. You know me and you have for years."   
  
Belk nodded his head meekly in agreement. However, that wasn't exactly how he felt about the situation at hand. It was the complete opposite. He had followed the gossip and to him Jinn showed signs of severely ignoring his apprentice's needs, even medical ones.   
  
"Besides I don't have to justify myself to anyone, unless it is to the council masters or the force. Neither have called me up for being derelict in my duty as a master to Obi-Wan so far. Now if you would continue to heal my apprentice, I would appreciate it. You have my permission to use a synthetic means to calm him and keep his pain under control."   
  
Even as Master Jinn denied to the healer that he had not ignored his apprentice, he wondered if he had.   
  
//Impossible, I have never intentionally withheld any training or anything connected to our bond..//   
  
Nevertheless, the Jedi master couldn't ignore what he felt at the moment. There was *something* akin to a haze between them and their bond that he hadn't noticed until in the healer's ward. He wasn't sure if it was there before but to his chagrin, *IT* was very much there now. *IT* acted as a buffer between he and his padawan and *IT* altered in someway their bond. Master Jinn was perplexed as how *IT* happened or from where *IT* came. He convinced himself nothing hadn't come from his side of the bond that would created such a hazy *smoke screen* directly through their bond..   
  
What truly was incredulous to Qui-Gon was that Healer Belk stood before him and actually accused him of withholding healing help from his apprentice. Did the healer think Jinn capable of such a monstrous act as to impede Obi's healing process? It became very clear he did think that of Qui-Gon with his next statement to the most respected Jedi warrior within the Jedi order.   
  
"Let me see if I understand you right, Master Jinn. I have your permission to sedate Padawan Kenobi because you yourself don't want to be *bothered* with the child at the moment. What is more pressing than *YOUR* apprentice's recovery? May I at least know that?"   
  
"Master, you are hovering. I told you I was fine and I am."   
  
"Yes, well I know, but the healer did say to watch for signs of concussion, vomiting headache blurred vision. Don't suppose you have any of those symptoms?"   
  
Jinn's face had a look of anticipation and concern until Obi reassured him yet again he was not mortally injured.   
  
"No I am fine. I just don't' feel like eating right now."   
  
Obi spoke the truth. He was fine he thought. With so many places hurting at one time, it was hard to find any interest in moving around or sitting up to feed himself.   
  
"Well, I will leave you alone. Master Yoda and Mace said they would be by later to check on you."   
  
The door closed to Obi-Wan's room, with a sigh of relief from Obi as it did.   
  
Not that he didn't appreciate his master's concern. It was just that it had gone a little too far. Further in fact than ever before and Obi thought it had something to do with his master's guilty conscience.   
  
//Master Qui-Gon must have a guilty conscience. He is the one that brought the 'Chosen One' and insisted he supervise Crion's training of him. I suppose he also would feel guilty about not correcting 'Padawan Precious'* for what was clearly improper etiquette between two sparring apprentices. Etiquette heck, he bordered trying to kill me. "Master" Xani thought it amusing. I saw the stern look my master cast him but nothing for the little 'Chosen One', not a word of condemnation. Had it been me, Master Jinn would have already had me skinned and hung up by my thumbs for an undetermined amount of time. //  
  
Obi knew he was exaggerating what his master would have done but in a sense he knew Ani was getting preferential treatment from his master.   
  
###later that evening#####   
  
Jinn began preparation for last meal without his usual zest to do so. He had invited Xanatos and Ani over for last meal two days prior. Oh Xani had offered to not come but in front of Jinn he told Ani they would have to pick up a pizza or burgers somewhere.   
  
//I certainly don't want to be the reason the newly named apprentice suffers malnutrition. I have to believe 'Master' Xani quite often picks up fast food to supplement their last meal. Unlike Obi-Wan, Xani never cared for cooking. He did not like to learn how to cook. He only indulged in the culinary delights of someone else's sweat and toll preparing the food, usually me. //  
  
He knew Ani wouldn't suffer much from the fast food for last meal and that he probably preferred it to the more nutritional meals the Jedi served. The truth of it was Jinn really did like spending time with the boy just too occasionally test his abilities.   
  
He'd noticed Xani wasn't as concerned for honing Ani's Jedi talents as much as he hoped he'd be. Xani insisted everything would fall into place because the boy was so very powerful in the force; things just came natural for him. Jinn had to agree in part. Still Anakin needs to be taught the right and wrong of the Jedi. If only I could convince my former bull-headed apprentice that.   
  
Until today, during the mock duel, Jinn had begun to feel more comfortable with the fact he had given Xanatos Crion the 'Chosen One' to train.   
  
He told himself he certainly wouldn't have traded his Obi for Ani had he been given the choice to do so. That did not keep the nagging thought from the Jedi's master's mind that maybe... just maybe had the council agreed; he might have given Obi to another master, with the chance to train the 'Chosen One'.   
  
//Not because I think Obi is less than worthy to be a Jedi but because I know Ani needs to be trained.//   
  
The big Jedi shuttered with the thought and shook it off as quickly as he thought it.   
  
However, with the mess-up Xani allowed today Jinn was put on edge again. He was glad that Xani and Anakin still had to come for last meal. He hoped to discuss some matters with Xanatos about his lackadaisical way of training not only Ani but Obi-Wan while he himself had been called away for meetings with the council.   
  
######################   
  
A strained and quiet last meal was over. Xanatos sensed Jinn's displeasure over what happened in the training room and to the older Jedi master's surprise, Xani hadn't bother to shield his knowledge of Jinn's displeasure from his apprentice, Anakin Skywalker. Jinn's concern over today's events sternly but slowly flowed through the nearly gone training bond between Xani and Jinn, it flew across the newly formed and very strong training bond between Xanatos and Anakin.   
  
Skywalker, innocently or not so innocently piped up with a questioning from his salvation from slavery, Master Jinn.   
  
"Master Jinn I hope you don't blame my master for what happened. Xani didn't realize I was so much more powerful than Obi-Wan. How could he? I myself didn't know it until I suppose it was too late and the result was Obi-Wan's injury. I know you have assured Master Xani said 'Little' Obi-Wan is fine and I do hope he is."   
  
Jinn held in a touch of anger for the boy that sat at his table and swore ignorance to act done to his apprentice that Qui-Gon knew full well was intentional; was done out of anger and without forethought of how injurious it could be for his apprentice.   
  
"Ani, I think it might be best to address your master as Master Crion or at least Master Xani. The council masters if they hear you use such endearing name for your mentor might find complaints in it."   
  
//Good Jinn, right to the point. Make a lame attempt to correct what he calls his master instead of the tackling the fact that he attacked your apprentice with such furor it is a wonder Obi-Wan wasn't more seriously injured.   
  
Jinn wasn't one to talk things over with himself in his mind, but with the overseeing of Xanatos training the 'Chosen One' Qui-Gon found himself doing it more and more. The Jedi master tried it again. He would state out loud to Xani and Anakin what his concerns were about today during the mock duel. He would point out what he thought was missing in the duel.   
  
"Maybe your master hasn't taught you one of the main rules while in a mock duel. One Jedi apprentice does not intentionally try to injure another. You should fight with a defensive pose not one that makes it seem you are trying to actually murder your opponent.   
  
"Oh Master I had no ill will when I battled Obi."   
  
Jinn threw his hand up to stop the boy and cast Xani a long stern look.   
  
"Ani please don't lie. That is another part of the Jedi Litany you need taught by your master. I know you fought out of anger. The entire auditorium watching, knew you did. I am not sure you would have had to be a force sensitive to feel it in the air. It was charged with your anger for Obi-Wan and I am not sure why?"   
  
Anakin dropped his head right after plastering the most hurt look on his face he could muster up without laughing outright in the older master's face. He made sure he was shielded from Master Jinn quite securely. Master Xani had thought him first off how to do it and also encouraged him to shield from Qui-Gon.   
  
He had already been instructed that Master Jinn might not like the techniques he used to teach his new little prodigy; Anakin Skywalker absolutely took pleasure in them. Xani's *way* allowed him to be as cruel to Kenobi as he wanted. And while Xani didn't know it, Ani's ill will for Obi stemmed from jealousy because Obi had Master Jinn as his master Even though Ani didn't want Jinn as his master, he didn't like Jinn's attention spit between he and Obi. He very selfishly wanted it all praise, attention, and adoration directed to him from both masters. Anakin had gull enough to think the council should have let him have any master he wanted with his extraordinary talents and resented being told *NO* by anyone for any reason.   
  
Anakin put on a facade of nervousness as he twisted the cloth napkin in his hands.   
  
"Master Jinn, you are right of course. I did fight with anger. I realized it only after Obi-Wan fell. Please let me assure you I don't have anger for your apprentice. No, the opposite is true. I have the utmost respect for your padawan. I just wanted to do my best. When I saw you in the crowd, I wanted to please you and to make you proud for your immense efforts to bring me here and have me trained as a Jedi."   
  
Jinn cleared his throat and straightened his shoulders.   
  
He was sucked into Ani's lies and began to feel sorry for the boy. He thought Ani must have felt uncomfortable at the temple because he was so special and he wrongly began to see how he might want to show off a little to prove himself in front of so many. gathered there. Jinn was actually flattered that Ani felt so concerned for what Jinn thought of him.   
  
"Well.. Yes… I suppose I can understand how you want to fit in and want to show me your best but you must control your anger. It is that control that is the very crux of a Jedi. I am sure your master has already discussed that with you."   
  
Xani smiled to himself. He knew Ani had been able to worm his way out of this little spot of trouble. Now it would be his turn and he knew he would be just as successful as Ani was. He always had been able to work Jinn the way he wanted too..   
  
//I only hope I can be as convincing to my former master as my padawan was. Well after all, *I* am the one who thought him his conniving ways. I should be able to contrive just as convincing excuse as Ani did. All I have to do is wait until Jinn starts on me.//   
  
"Well I think you should go see Obi-Wan and apologize. You don't have to go into what we have discussed, just tell him your power got away from you. "   
  
Jinn knew that wouldn't be enough because Obi-Wan had to have felt the rage surge through Ani as they fought. However, Jinn knew Obi was wise enough that if Ani didn't bring it up, he wouldn't. Besides Jinn had noticed that Obi-Wan was a much more submissive child than Anakin.   
  
//I suppose that comes from not being sure of his abilities where as Ani knew it is nearly impossible for him not to succeed where as Obi has to work continually to do so.//   
  
Jinn still harbored no thoughts of Obi not being good enough. He just knew or thought he did that Ani was the more talented of the two. Where Ani could breeze through his apprenticeship, Obi would have to struggle with his, because as far as Jinn could tell Obi had always struggled with everything he did.   
  
Ani excused himself. He hated the idea of apologizing to Obi but it was a requirement he was not going to be able to get around.   
  
With Jinn and Xani alone, Xani knew his time was coming. His lecture began just as soon as Ani reached the door to Obi's room.   
  
"Well what have you to say? I can't really blame a green kid in the ways of a Jedi for all his actions. You knew enough to stop the fight before it got out of hand. Surely you felt Ani's malicious feelings for Obi grow before he finally blew up and literally attack Obi-Wan."   
  
"Oh Master, you are so dramatic about everything. I let the boys fight, period. I wanted to see and let you see how far my apprentice has come. You know yourself out on a field mission, a little anger does nothing but fuel our power, make us better fighters, better Jedi."   
  
"Fighters maybe, but not better Jedi. And besides they were not out on a mission. The boys were in a training session. One that you would think neither would be injured more than a saber burn here and there. I thought you about the use of anger only when you became a senior padawan, a good seven years older than either of them is now."   
  
Xanatos leaned over the kitchen table to allow his direct stare to be more direct, right up in his former master's face. Both had that look of defiance, both knew so well from the other.   
  
"Master Jinn, Qui-Gon, you miss what I try to tell you. The boy needs to unleash his anger sometimes. All those padawans talk behind his back, make jokes that they are better than the *little slave Jinn drug in*. Now they will think twice about who they antagonize with whispers, innuendoes, and ridiculous temple gossip. ."   
  
Qui-Gon threw his balled up napkin on the table and pushed his chair back to get up with such force he nearly knocked it over.   
  
"You are impossible Crion. Do you know that? You can't teach the boy to get back at others, especially when the others are other Jedi, peers. Anakin is powerful in the force there is no question about it. There is no question but what some of the apprentices' are jealous of him though they know it isn't allowed exhibit an emotion like that. We or you have to be able to train him to look beyond their jealousies. Once the others get to know the boy they will like him as… well as Obi-Wan does."   
  
Jinn knew maybe he shouldn't have said that. He wasn't really sure Obi liked Anakin, he just tolerated him.   
  
Qui-Gon fumbled with the dirty dishes as he gathered them and placed them in the sink.   
  
"Come on Qui-Gon you know your apprentice doesn't *like* Ani. If anything he might be the one to hold the most jealousy and envy of him. Instead of telling me what to do with my apprentices' unfettered emotions maybe you should work a little on trying to get Obi-Wan to tame his. He got just what he deserved. He hasn't offered to help my apprentice acclimate to temple life. He has nothing but tried to keep his friends from becoming Ani's friends. So don't' talk about petty jealousies until you reign your apprentice in."   
  
Jinn couldn't or didn't' want to believe everything Xani said but it made sense. Maybe that jealous part to Obi was stored and tucked safely in his mind; a place far enough in that Master Jin couldn't feel it when he accessed Obi's mind through their bond.   
  
"Well I hope what you said is not true but we will be able to get first hand observation at very close quarters it, if is."   
  
Xani interest in Jinn's words increased.   
  
"What do you mean close quarters? We are together every afternoon for training. How much closer can the four of us get?"   
  
"Well the reason I have had you training Obi in the first place was because I had to set in on caucuses concerning a delicate matter on Alderaan. You knew that."   
  
"Yes, but what does that have to do with our apprentices'. If the council and Organa are finished with you, you can go back to supervising Obi privately and things will work themselves out between the boys."   
  
"Well, the council has decided they want to see how Anakin reacts on a mission. I know he hasn't trained long but…"   
  
"But… but nothing the boy isn't ready to go on a mission."   
  
"It isn't that dangerous and besides he has you to keep him out of trouble if you can manage to keep yourself out of it."   
  
Flair of remembrance of what Xani was like right before he became a knight flashed through Jinn's mind. It was the reason behind the words to him that maybe shouldn't have been spoken.   
  
"You just can't let the past go. You wanted to be connected to this boy, my padawan's training so badly, you were willing to let me, and little old incompetent me train him. Well Jinn realize this. Until the council removes me, I am his master and he will take orders from me. If I think he is doing alright, then he is. Go ahead accept that mission. I will see to it Anakin excels in anything he does during it. Quite possibly Ani will perform far more admirably than that little crumpled heap of emotions, Kenobi. He should have sent to the Argricorps and never been chosen. If it wasn't for Master Yoda asserting his opinions on you, that is exactly where he would be right now and you know it. On Bandomeer by your direct orders. You always did listen to that little green troll too much. Now you see where his wishes have gotten you; an apprentice that will more than likely never make it to knighthood. Qui-Gon, he can't even master that fifth kata and Anakin had reached the seventh one. That is why I had the boys spar today in the first place.. I couldn't train both of them on different levels at the same time."   
  
Xani stopped right there when Jinn wheeled around from his sink of dishes to glare unbelievably at his former apprentice. Xani had let too much come out and some of what did come out were things Jinn himself thought about Obi but refused to let surface any longer. Now Jinn let his own emotions show with this shaky voice.   
  
"Hold it right there Xanatos Crion. You do not need to worry about Obi-Wan's abilities. If there is need to be concerned for his progression, the concern is soley mine. I see no need for either of us to be worried as to how my apprentice is progressing in his training. My mistake is that I confided in you about what I once thought of Obi-Wan. *Once thought* being the key words Xani. I don't feel that way about him now." //DO I?. //  
  
"Calm down Qui-Gon. It is good we had this chat. We both agree. You keep your less than complimentary thoughts about my apprentice to yourself and I will contain mine. I don't' suppose it would do for Kenobi to know you didn't really want him. I know he suspects it but to know would probably destroy what little bit of confidence the boy has."   
  
####################   
  
Anakin heard the burst of angry words but before that he felt the stronger pull and tug of anger between the two masters as it resonated along he and Xani's training bond.   
  
//They are at it again. I don't know maybe Master Jinn does want me as his apprentice and I would have liked that, had he not been so strict, so stoic and typically boring as are all Jedi, except Master Xani.//   
  
Ani stood with the door partially opened to Obi's room as he listened as the argument escalated. It started to get really interesting when Obi's name was brought up. Ani always felt there was something about the boy that Jinn kept hidden. Ani knew things might be said that even Obi-Wan was not aware of and this would be a perfect time to wake the other padawan up.   
  
//More ways than one I think. First I will wake him from his slumber and then hopefully he will hear something during this little rift that will wake him up to where he really stands with his master. It is inconceivable Master Qui-Gon, could ever be satisfied with him with me here to accent how inept he really is. I'll just use a little force powered nudge…// With that, he pointed his finger and sent a sharp push to Kenobi, enough to jolt him out of his sleep.   
  
Ani pressed his index finger to his lips as a startled Obi-Wan rubbed the sleep from his eyes.   
  
"Listen…. Your master and mine are in an argument."   
  
Ani thought that the idea that the two Jedi masters were locked in a heated argument would be enough to arouse the other padawan out of sleepiness and pique his interest as to what they argued about.   
  
Obi-Wan was not particularly pleased to see Anakin Skywalker in his room and he was even less curious about the argument Qui-Gon and Xani were in. In fact, he thought it was about Ani's actions. Nevertheless, he aborted his intentions to roll over and go back to sleep when he heard his name mentioned from Xani's mouth in a harsh tone.   
  
Funny how the voices carried so much stronger and louder just at that moment. Maybe it was because Obi had all his attention on the disagreement his master and Xani were locked in, or it could have been the concussion he suffered earlier in the day, whatever the reason, he failed to realize the voices became louder just at the point the topic of the argument migrated to him. Had Obi-Wan been of clear thought he might have known Anakin Skywalker used his powerful force abilities to enhance and magnify the voices so he would be able to hear more clearly the negative words about him by Xani and Jinn…   
  
Obi-Wan heard every hurtful thing Xani and his master said about him. What made it all far worse was that Anakin Skywalker now knew the truth about how his master had questioned, in the beginning, Obi's ability to become a Jedi knight. How the great Qui-Gon Jinn… hadn't really wanted him at all…….   
  
PEACE ewen 


	2. A loss or is it a gain?

Obi-Wan loved going on missions with his master, that is until this mission. He and Master Jinn were paired with another master/padawan team Crion and Skywalker.   
  
More than one pair of Jedi on a mission together wasn't all that unusual. He had gone on one other, but this mission was shaping into a difficult one for Kenobi and they hadn't even stepped foot off the transport ship.   
  
With three days travel still left, Obi had already been assigned extra meditations twice to Anakin Skywalker's zero. One time was from his master for sulking and he had to agree he was sulking. The other meditation, the longer one, the one he had been knee bent into for two hours and had two more of this cramped position, was from the other master with them, Master Xanatos Crion.   
  
//Anakin started the discord between us. I don't see him down on his knees rubbing the skin off them, meditating. Master Jinn should have insisted Ani be punished. But oh no he looked the other way to Ani's part in this. Then he had the nerve to tell me I should as well. "The boy was green new to the Jedi. I should be the ever humble Jedi apprentice and overlook his ignorance where the Jedi code is concerned. Isn't that the excuse both masters give to Anakin Skywalker when there is something wrong between him and me? //  
  
Obi-Wan was most offended by his master's reluctance to defend him when Xanatos announced Obi-Wan was deemed in the wrong and that he and only he should be disciplined for it.   
  
Obi thought he noticed his master grimace and start to speak but if he ever thought to defend Obi-Wan, the thought was only fleeting at best and flew right away. He held a stiff but silent posture while Xanatos hauled Obi-Wan up in front of everyone on the transport ship, chewed him out, and then sentenced him to four hours on his knees in front of everyone there, to meditate.   
  
Obi-Wan hoped his master wouldn't notice through their bond that the first hour of meditation was focused on gaining control of his embarrassment and shame over his situation. Once he braved a look around him and saw Ani with the most satisfied sneer on his face, Obi wanted to just jump up and grab the other apprentice, shake him soundly. He knew better though. If Jinn didn't get to him Xani would no doubt beat the socks off of him for even threatening the 'Chosen One' with bodily harm.   
  
//And I mean that in the most literal text possible. Master has never been so callous as to use physical punishment on me. No doubt if I did anything to impede Ani's progress to knighthood, he might incorporate corporal punishment as part of a daily routine.//   
  
The blow to the back of his head was a shock and a painful one at that.   
  
Tears, unshed but visible welled up in the apprentice's eyes. He wasn't sure if they were from the pain of being struck or the humiliation as the commoners on the ship snickered and teetered amongst themselves over the Jedi apprentice being publicly disciplined in such a way.   
  
Jinn was not in a position to see his apprentice. He was off on another level up, on the ship going over the cock pit with Anakin.   
  
"There now Padawan Kenobi, I thought you didn't seem to be focused on your meditations as you should. Now you may tell Jinn about the swat to the back of your head if you feel the need too run and tattle. However, I don't think he will be pleased to know you were not meditating as you should. Of course when I add that you were insolent to say the least he might find another part of your anatomy to swat. One a little meatier and a whole lot less visible."   
  
Xani sat down in seat just couple of feet from Obi-Wan, stretched his legs gangly out in front of him, crossed his arms over his chest, and stared hatefully down with his dark cold eyes at the apprentice on his knees.   
  
Obi fought and gained control of his emotions. He wiped away a couple of tears that had fallen before he turned to face Master Crion.   
  
"Just how would you know I was not meditating my ability to keep a civil tongue and my grumpy disposition, as I was instructed to do?"   
  
"Oh I could tell."   
  
Obi knew he was in the wrong. His mind had drifted but Xani had no way of knowing that. They shared no kind of bond and Obi had made very sure he was shielded from his master and thus from any force sensitive around him.   
  
"No, you couldn't. You just wanted to do what you did because you are unusually cruel and sadistic *Master* Crion."   
  
"Well, why don't you just tell your master that and I will tell him I caught your eyes wondering, that you were clearly not in focus with your meditation." Now get back to what I told you to do and keep in mind you have just *questioned* another hour of meditations for yourself."   
  
###Later when Qui-Gon returned####   
  
"Padawan, could you please explain why you are still deep in meditation a half hour into the time you should have been up?"   
  
Obi-Wan knew in an instant Jinn's first apprentice had 'ratted' him out. He had been the one to run and *tattle* on Obi-Wan Kenobi.   
  
//So much for Xani keeping his mouth shut. He ran straight to my master and told him. Now what do I do? I can tell him about Xanatos striking me. If I do I will have to explain why. How much does my master know? Do I tell him Xani is lying on me? It is the truth but will Qui-Gon believe it to be the truth or that I am the one lying? //  
  
Options were nil to none for Obi-Wan. He couldn't win for losing and he opted instead to let his master believe whatever lie Xani told for the reason he was still down on his knees.   
  
"Come, come, Padawan, you look like you are groveling at my feet. Well it must look that way to the speculators who wander by. Surely you are tired of being ogled by every member of the transport flight team and the passengers milling around."   
  
//Is my own master taunting me? He must be very angry over what he perceives to be my disobedience. Oh how I wish I could get Xani and his Precious Ani in trouble at the same time. However there is no way Master Jinn would believe me over either of them. Besides, Master already questions my abilities, I don't need more trouble. If he thought I had become unruly that might just be reason enough to dump me. //  
  
"Well Obi-Wan, I await an answer and I am growing exceedingly impatient. Is this the disobedience you plan to exhibit during the entire mission? Since Ani has come to the temple to live you have been less than what I'm accustomed too. I think you and I will have a chat after you get up from your knees. Now what did you do to be here another hour?"   
  
There on bended and sore knees Obi-Wan envisioned himself with his hands clamped soundly over his ears, his eyes tightly shut, as a blood curdling and continuous scream to proclaim his innocence. He wanted to shout at the top of his lungs that it was Xani who lied and to name Anakin Skywalker as the real cause behind the dispute today.   
  
Of course Obi didn't follow through with his exaggerated imageries in his mind. What good little Jedi apprentice would act with such emotional strife openly displayed? No Obi-Wan bit his lip until a tiny bit of blood dripped from it, kept his eyes focused on the broken tile just in front of his right knee, kept his hands clamped together in his lap, and waited for whatever reprimand his master had for him.   
  
He figured it couldn't be any worse that Xanatos Crion's had been and that it wouldn't be delivered with as much venom as Xani had either. Some of the coldness was gone when the master spoke to his apprentice again.   
  
"Never mind, Xanatos explained to me your actions and I agreed they warranted at the very least another hour of meditation. When you have completed it, you are dismissed to our quarters. I will speak to you in private about what I feel has been a total lack of disrespect to another Jedi master. Whether he is one of my former apprentices or not, it gives you no leave to be rude to Master Crion or to make rude remarks about his padawan. Things are going to change Obi-Wan Kenobi. In particular the way you carry yourself, especially if you intend to continue to walk that two steps back and to the left of *this* Jedi master…….."   
  
Obi's heart twisted with each word that came from his mouth. He had never felt such disappointment seep through their bond as he did right now. Jinn was not angry with him he was terribly distraught over what he perceived to be Obi-Wan's disrespectful actions. Actions, Obi wasn't even sure had been relayed to Jinn correctly because he couldn't trust the messenger, Xanatos Crion.   
  
//He might not even know what happened to cause Xani to put than other hours punishment on me. How can I do this? I don't want to call Xanatos a liar and I don't want my master to have some contrived accusation about me. How can I even broach the subject? He already thinks it is I who has the grudge to bare and not Anakin or Xanatos. //  
  
Jinn had just reached the cabin door of the large area of the ship where Xanatos had placed Obi right in the middle of. The captain's crew chief came up to him a great deal of stress.   
  
Master Jinn, the captain requests your presence on the bridge. There seems to be several ships at our flank and bow. It would seem we have been surrounded. The captain would seek your advice on the matter."   
  
Jinn listened carefully to the speedy declaration, making sure he heard right.   
  
"Absurd, once they realize they have dignitaries representing the Chancellor of Coruscant, they will stand down. No one in this quadrant is brave enough to take on all the aligned forces from the planets in the trade federation.   
  
The crew chief was still excited but just being in the presence of a Jedi master, one as infamous as Jinn brought him calm.   
  
" I don't know about all that Master Jinn. Nevertheless, my captain sent me to fetch you to the bridge."   
  
"Well I certainly understand why. Shall we go?"   
  
Jinn gently took the man by the shoulders and turned him in the direction, back to the bridge. He stopped once to turn around. Obi-Wan had overhead the news and wanted desperately to follow his master in case of danger. Jinn too felt maybe the boy should be with him but not because he needed protected. He wanted to make sure obi-Wan remained safe. However, he thought Obi-Wan was just as safe here in the middle of the transport where all the other passengers were.   
  
//Whoever it is won't dare attack a ship carrying the federation loco of Coruscant ministry on it .//  
  
Oh how wrong Master Jinn was just about to be proven.   
  
#############On the bridge##############   
  
Captain Morten was deep in thought as he glared at the radar screen dotted with small green lights. Each one of them represented a ship.   
  
Jinn looked over the captain's shoulder and saw that the first mate had indeed not exaggerated, they were surrounded. More than fifteen ships though Qui-Gon didn't have time to count them.   
  
"Did you get permission to be in this quadrant? Is this secured air space?"   
  
"Master Jinn, I sought and received permission to go through this sector of space. If I am correct those ships belong to the Bulenese army's space patrol."   
  
"Then once they realize we are from Coruscant and have nothing for them they will leave us alone."   
  
Jinn didn't look at the captain, until the captain who had begun to act very seedy to go along with his seedy appearance, let a long moaning sigh escape.   
  
"We don't have anything on this ship they want do we Captain?" Jinn raised one eyebrow and cast a long hard angry stare at the captain.   
  
Captain Morten waited a moment too long before he answered and Jinn started in on him again.   
  
"Like contraband legal or illegal that the Bulenese might want and know you have in your procession?"   
  
The captain shrugged his shoulders and it was then Jinn noticed his scarlet hued face.   
  
"You do, don't you?" Qui-Gon was now shouting, a rare thing for a Jedi master.   
  
"I thought with the Jedi aboard everything would be alright. We would be in no suspicion of carrying anything illegal."   
  
"Well maybe the Bulenese are so far out in space that they didn't know we Jedi were aboard?   
  
"Look Jedi Jinn, I would have told you but you Jedi are just so confounded prim and proper. All I have are some Bazooka blasters and twenty or thirty kegs of Corellian whiskey."   
  
"While I think the Bulenese might enjoy the whiskey, I think the blasters are more likely their aim. Open up communications. Let me deal with them."   
  
"Master Jinn, If they are not aware of your presence here on this ship, it might not be a good idea to tell them. I think knowing will only inflame their wrath against us. They don't want to have Federation troops constantly breathing down their necks because they robbed one of their appointed transport ships and killed their dignitaries, you that were on board. I don't think they will like it at all if they realize the Jedi are here in official capacity for the Chancellor himself."   
  
"Well maybe knowing the Jedi are *official* will help to change their minds and they will let us out of their trap. For I tell you captain we *are* very much trapped."   
  
Jinn opened communication to the main ship, but as soon as the captain of the Bulenese brigade saw the familiar Jedi Jinn wore in front of the screen, he shut down all communications without uttering a word. Jinn watched on the radar screen as the ships advanced and began to cluster together to form a web made of ships around them.   
  
"Well Master Jinn, you idea has failed and if I am not mistaken they have taken a sudden turn against us. They don't care about my cargo now. They just plan to get rid of anyone on this ship that might relay the info back to the Chancellor of their space piracy."   
  
"Jinn turned the communiqué panel on again only to get static. He had intended to notify Chancellor Valorum before they were attacked. Even his personal comm failed.   
  
"Our communications have been jammed. "Static… All I get is static.   
  
"You have condemned us all to death Master Jinn! All of us for the Bulenese will allow no one live who might report back to the authorities their activities way out here.   
  
"You should live if just to be tried for such a treasonous act as carrying weapons to sell out here in the fifth quadrant. NO doubt you will sell them to anyone with the credits to pay your price."   
  
"Well don't worry we are all destined to die. I will get my just rewards for my deeds but you will be right along side of me Jedi."   
  
########   
  
Luckily, the Jedi master was very close to the doorway of the ship's cabin when a blast tore through the ship. Master Jinn managed to grab the handles of the cabin door and held on as tightly as he could.   
  
The blast rocked the ship. It did a double summersault in mid-air before it took a straight nose dive *down*.   
  
Jinn tentatively felt along he and Obi's bond to insure himself Obi-Wan was alright. Nothing, the master got nothing in the line of a response from his apprentice. What seemed to take agonizingly long time to search along their bond for Obi's force signature in truth only took seconds. //That does not mean he is dead. Possibly he is so far into a coma and unconsciousness to respond or to keep the bond between us opened.//   
  
At least two of his three major concerns subdued when he saw Xanatos and Anakin run through the hall and onto the bridge of the crashing ship.   
  
"Master Jinn, what…how …who…."   
  
"No time to explain, but we have been hit and we are going down."   
  
Xani had just enough time to respond to Jinn's comment before the followed him to the control panels.   
  
No joke master? I can clearly tell we are crashing. Anything else you think I should know?"   
  
Sarcasm, even in the grips of despair had never been a problem for Xani. It seemed to help him focused in times of dire straits.   
  
Anakin's voice was a high squeak when he spoke over the moans and screams of the injured throughout the ship.   
  
"Down…Down *where* Master Jinn. We are in wide open space. The nearest planet is a day away"   
  
Xanatos followed Jinn to the control panel and started adjusting air pressure, speed, anything that might slow their downward dissent.   
  
Suddenly with violent whiplash jolt, the ship stopped. Just like that, it stopped right in the middle of open space. It leveled out until now it was in the position as it should be for navigation, totally vertical.   
  
Xani looked questioningly at Master Jinn and in turn Master Jinn answered his unspoken query.   
  
"Tractor beam…. Now they have us. There is no escape."   
  
Just then more problems became known when two crew members came running to the bridge.   
  
Both just noticed that their spiraling motion downward had abruptly stopped.   
  
"Captain, it is a good thing we stopped no matter the means. We have found the damage the ship sustained when it was hit with a torpedo laser mortar."   
  
"Well man, speak up. How much damage? Can we repair it?"   
  
"No sir, impossible. This is one time we should be glad our attackers have captured us."   
  
The other crew mate spoke up in a very excited tone.   
  
"Yes, he is right Captain. The entire left side of the starboard bow of the ship is one big gaping hole surrounded by twisted metal. Through that gash went most or *ALL* of the passengers seated in that section."   
  
Jinn realized the star board bow was the main section of the ship where most of the local travelers were in, //By the force, it was where I left Obi-Wan.//   
  
//No force collar. I suppose that is a good thing.//   
  
Xani, from the cell just opposite of Jinn saw the Jedi master touch his neck and knew the reason for it.   
  
"Oh no master, their force inhibitors are for more encompassing than a thin metal band around our necks.. The cells have an inhibitor beam in them. However, and if you happen to feel a slight stiffness in your left upper arm, it is not because you injured it. We have been given some kind of Hydro spray injection that impedes any bonds, mental connection and communication, or force related powers we have. I'd say we are pretty much helpless. Oh… wait… I do have these."   
  
Jinn waited with anticipation over Xani's words. What could his former apprentice have in his pocket, Jinn wondered?   
  
Xani made an elaborate gesture with an exaggerated dip with his hand, down in one of his many Jedi robe pockets. He pulled from it an assortment of brightly colored and different shaped power crystals. They were once the driving force behind their sabers; each Jedi chose their own color, shape, and size according to the edicts of the force.   
  
"They took the sabers and gave us the little trinkets or *colored bobbles* as they called them and gave those back. Oh, by the way, we have already landed on their planet. We are being housed in cells just under the leader's offices. Convenient uhn ?"   
  
Jinn meticulously sorted through visually the crystals pooled in Xani's extended right hand. He had already found his. He searched for any indication that the crystals from Obi-Wan's saber was there.   
  
"*Obi-Wan* … Xanatos have you heard anything about my apprentice?"   
  
A dark look passed Xani's face. With the inability to stay connected with his apprentice Jinn had all but forgotten for a moment his apprentice had been in meditation in the section of the ship that sustained the most damage from the laser blast.   
  
"I am sorry Master, but I have heard nothing. In fact as you see evident with the crystals I hold, Obi's saber hasn't even been found. If it was, I am sure there would have been questions about the saber or maybe they would have returned the saber crystals themselves. So far nothing. I thought maybe if you had the crystals that were once to Obi-Wan's saber it would be at least some minor memento of his existence by your side. However, it seems that the saber went out the ship along with your apprentice. If he hadn't have been sucked out through the hole then his saber would have been found by now. We would have heard something."   
  
Jinn heard Xani as he continued to talk but this thoughts were elsewhere. He knew he could not touch the force, not with all the medication and the laser inhibitor directed at his cell but he felt the need to meditate. Maybe he could not reach Obi or the force but meditation was the only thought process he found he could go through right now. Even without the force he could focus on his thoughts and zone out everything else around him. That was his intent anyway. He didn't want to hear more unbearable truths about the missing precious light that was his apprentice, his imp, his Obi-Wan.   
  
Xanatos was glad Master Jinn could not feel any of his thoughts. The one good thing about their capture was that Kenobi was now gone. Puff.. just like that Jinn's apprentice no longer was a hindrance. He and Jinn both could now focus on the 'Chosen One'. The only problem with that was they needed to get out of the mess they were in and keep Ani's identity a secret. If they didn't it would surely mean his imprisonment in order to attempt to harness the immense power the child possessed.   
  
All mental conversations to themselves stopped. Their attention was drawn to the large outer doors of the prison containment center.   
  
Jinn watched as a man or being of medium height entered the prison chamber. His long green/ gray robe flowed obtrusively behind him. Not a very purposeful piece of outerwear thought Jinn as he watched the man who entered, walk up to Master Jin's cell and stop.   
  
"Master Jedi, are you the leader of your kind?"   
  
"Kind... do you mean all those on the ship or of the Jedi? I am a leader of the small group here with me, the other two Jedi. Also there was another Jedi. He is mine as well."   
  
Qui-Gon didn't particularly like speaking of Obi as if he was a slab of meat that he personally owned. However, the master wasn't sure how much of the workings of Coruscant or the Jedi these more primitive people knew.   
  
"You mean there were four Jedi? We know somewhat the Jedi. Enough to know we have committed an egregious error in our attack of you. We meant no harm."   
  
"No harm… do you realize that you killed more than fifty people in the main section of our ship. Jinn wanted to add his apprentice was one of them, but he didn't want to admit the truth, not yet."   
  
The Bulense before Jinn waved his hands.   
  
"Nothing can be done about that now. However as we speak our ambassador to the federation planets are in the contact with Chancellor Valorum. A ship from Coruscant is being sent here immediately to retrieve you and everyone left alive from the ship."   
  
They were being released. The attack for whatever reason to begin with was now deemed unnecessary and just like that an "I'm sorry" and they were suppose to go on from there.   
  
"I want to see the leader of the Bulenese."   
  
"He is predisposed at the moment. Possibly later after you have been shown to your rooms."   
  
"Shown to our rooms? You mean we are free to go?"   
  
The Bulenese before him twisted his face in a confused look.   
  
"Not exactly free, Jedi. Within the compounds of your room and this building you are free. We do not allow force sensitives free reign on our planet. While we don't know as much possibly as the galaxy you are form about them. There is very little trust for them. We are just beginning to learn about your powers. That is why we have so many safe guards up. Out here in the outer rim we get a lot of force powered beings not of the force you Jedi work for. No, they are of the darker side and seek anonymity for what ever dastardly act trey have committed in your trade federation planets. Simply put we get all the criminals out here Master Jinn, and we are quite prepared to deal with them."   
  
"I see that. However, I must find my apprentice. If you plan to allow us to go home, I have to get to him, find out if he is injured, and have him ready to return to Courscant with me."   
  
"Another Jedi. Is he missing? Was he injured in the blast?"   
  
"I don't know. I haven't seen him since you opened fire on us. He was right in the path of the blast though."   
  
The Bulenese being before him did not seem to have a compassionate bone in his body. Jinn easily knew that with the reply he gave the Jedi master..   
  
"Well then, ease your mind. I think I know where your Jedi friend is. I would suppose if he was in the main room of the blast when we launched the laser torpedo, he was sucked out of the ship with the rest of the passengers. I doubt even his Jedi wit and power allowed for him to be saved with the swiftness of which the bodies no doubt flew from your ship."   
  
Ever how horrific it was, Jinn sadly had to admit that the being before him was right. He did like the idea that those alive on the ship with them would be personally escorted home by the ship of Jedi that were on their way to retrieve them. Jinn was nearly inconsolable over the fact that he would return to Coruscant without a padawan, without *HIS* Obi-Wan………………………  
  
[b]#########################################[/b]   
  
I would thank all of you for the feedback ,but as of yet I have not received any. If you are reading this then thank you!!!!! Keep in mind, the next post will have our favorite rogue, Quinlan Vos in it. So stop back by this weekend.  
  
nvos/   
  
PEACE ewen 


	3. 2P's no,no, make that 2Q's at the Temple...

####################   
  
Qui-Gon leaned his large frame against the wall. His arms were crossed over his chest and his hands were tucked inside his robe sleeves as if he was cold, but he was not. It was the way he often stood when deep in a diplomatic negotiation with some ruling faction of another planet… Of course he wasn't engaged in that either.   
  
Yes, a part of him watched the activities on the floor. There was another part of Jinn's inner self, the deepest part, which continued to wrestle with memories, which after a month should have been released into the force. Life should have gone on as it always does after a catastrophic event in one's life.   
  
The Jedi master, Jinn was a stubborn man, unwilling to give in to anything. Letting go was no different than anything he else he did. He did it with such veracious tenacity. He had very easily given into grief though, but not to the reality of what caused that grief, Obi-Wan's spirit released into the force.   
  
Tahl stood beside him. They had both come to the practice arena to watch padawans. Tahl studied every little minute detail of her apprentice's movements as Padawan Bant managed to outmaneuver her opponent, another first year padawan, unnamed to Jinn.   
  
There wasn't much that went on around the temple in the last month that had piqued concern from him.   
  
Tahl felt renewed hope for Qui-Gon when she studied her old friend's face and saw just a wisp of interest in the battle on the floor between Anakin Skywalker and Garen, one of Obi-Wan's best friends. //Well he was until…..//   
  
Qui-Gon never broke his gaze from Ani, but pointed him out to Master Tahl, on the left side of the floor, in battle.   
  
"Such improvement in him Tahl. Have you noticed?"   
  
Tahl wanted to reply to the other master's query, but he didn't give her enough time to form her thoughts into words.   
  
" Ahhh… probably not, Bant consumes most of your time and thoughts. She does make a formable opponent against the other apprentice down there."   
  
Tahl beamed a large smile with the compliment of her apprentice. She knew Jinn might have just said that to be polite. He hadn't really had time to know the girl or her abilities. He was being courteous and courteous alone. Tahl knew of her talents and beamed with her knowledge of them and not Qui-Gon's fake assessment of Bant, no matter how well meaning they had been.   
  
"Well yes Qui, she is a fairly new padawan. I do focus on her needs. Nevertheless, I have seen Anakin do battle in here. If he ever learns to reign in his anger, he can only become better at what he seems to have been expertly poised too already."   
  
A dark frown popped on Jinn's face as he broke his stare from the battle Ani and Garen were locked in.   
  
"Don't be ridiculous. There is no anger in the boy. I have had more than enough time to watch him since… Well since I now *have* more free time."   
  
"Since Obi-Wan died Qui. Isn't it about time you say it, if you can't admit it? For force sake, you haven't even allowed the council masters to rule him dead and burn a pyre in honor of his memory.."   
  
"I know where he is Tahl. I suppose I do. Even when I was taken out off the Bulenese planet that suppressed all of our force abilities and connections, I didn't feel Obi-Wan dead. After the force began to flow back through me I should have felt the remnants of pain from his death, should have been given some knowledge of it anyway. It wasn't there. Yes, I have emptiness only in that Obi is not with me at the moment and that makes me immensely sad and miserable. However, I never felt through the force that warning most masters receive when their padawans pass from here to the force itself. It *J.U.S.T.* wasn't there."   
  
"Then where is he Qui? He wasn't on the ship. What was left of that ship you were on was confiscated by the authorities of the Courscant council. It was gone over in fine detail. DNA was done on every spot of blood or body tissue in it, nothing. None one of those DNA samples came back as being even close to Obi-Wan's match and certainly none were found to have midichlorians in the DNA swatches. We both know what *happened* to Obi-Wan. He died Qui-Gon!! Obi-Wan Kenobi is dead, one with the force. If you can't say it, I will for you. And maybe you can grasp it in your mind, if nothing else. We have to go on."   
  
Jinn blinked twice then turned his attention back to Anakin's practice session. Tahl stood there with her arms crossed let out a long sigh and assumed their discussion was over, that Qui was tired of discussing his gone padawan. Suddenly in barely a whisper she heard Qui-Gon speak up again.   
  
"I"   
  
Master Tahl thought she heard the one word statement from her old friend, she just quite wasn't sure.   
  
"Excuse? What did you say?"   
  
"Simply, "I""   
  
"Qui-Gon what…?"   
  
She was very rudely interrupted by a now distraught Qui-Gon Jinn.   
  
He pushed himself off from the wall.   
  
"*WE* don't have to go on, *I* do. *I* have to go through the rest of my life without Obi-Wan. *I* have no apprentice, you do. *I* failed Obi, failed to keep him safe, not you. *I* have to live knowing all this, not you or anyone else in this damn temple. I suppose that is why it is so easy for the rest of you to assume it should be easy for me. I have to deal with all this. The only thing that has brought me any solace is that boy down there. Now it seems that Anakin is in hot water with every master at the temple. Jealousy that is what it is."   
  
Tahl had not said much about the boy except that he needed to control his anger. She could have gone into a long list of things that Anakin Skywalker did that irked nearly everyone at the temple in one way or another. Things he did which was not corrected by his true master. Things Master Jinn knew Xani allowed Ani to engage in but had no reprimand for either. Jinn spoiled Ani and allowed Xanatos to do the same.   
  
"Come off it Qui. I try to be fair. I haven't mentioned the fight last week in the commissary have I?"   
  
She could match Jinn anger and then some. Not really anger just a release of negative thoughts and feeling that needed brought out in the open.   
  
#####   
  
Anakin bowed to his defeated opponent. He wanted to sneer and make some unkind comment about the boy's inability to handle a saber, even though he was four years older than Anakin. He held his tongue though. He knew just above him in the gallery stood Master Jinn. He didn't want to get his master, Xanatos Crion in trouble for what Qui-Gon might assess as errors in Xani's training of him.   
  
"Master, Master Qui-Gon sir is here *again*."   
  
Xani got the definite feeling Ani did not like Qui-Gon being over his shoulder to watch his every move.   
  
"It is all right. Give him some time. He only comes here because he is lonely."   
  
Xanatos had to admit there were times he was sorry for his former master. Though the feelings of compassion for Jinn came only once in awhile and for short spurts, he did have them, whereas Anakin felt no compassion for anyone. He himself could and did live quite comfortably without the brat Kenobi around.   
  
"Maybe we will ask him to last meal, so he won't be so lonely."   
  
Anakin wiped the sweat for his face that had gathered there from the fierce practice battle then tossed the towel back to his master. In some ways Ani acted like the master. The soiled towel tossed in his master's face was on just one example of his arrogant attitude.   
  
"Well you better ask him or he will just presume he has a right to barge in and interrupt our last meal. What has it been, a week running since we shared a meal together alone without the grieving Master Jinn by our side?"   
  
Ani had quickly grown to dislike Qui-Gon more and more. He thought the man should be excited enough to over see his former apprentice's training of the Chosen One and he shouldn't feel like he needed the now dead Kenobi anyway. Jealousy of one dead was not very becoming.   
  
Ani tried to hide his jealousy of Obi-wan from his own master. Xanatos however, saw right through him. He affectionately slapped his apprentice's arm.   
  
The 'Chosen One' saw Master Jinn's grief as an insufferable weakness that was tolerated but not accepted. Or in Anakin Skywalker's opinion it shouldn't be acceptable.   
  
"Well I have some news that just might perk you up. There could be a reason for why Master Jinn wants to dine with us tonight."   
  
"I know there is. He wants to instruct you on how to be the perfect master for the perfect padawan."   
  
With that Anakin cast a large smile to his young master, over his own humor."   
  
Xani lowered his head until his chin hit his chest and looked *Up* disappointedly at his apprentice.   
  
"That's enough Ani. Even I have a little compassion for the old man. Maybe if you would lighten up on him, he wouldn't feel all that aura of hostility you emit every time he comes around. And no, he is not coming to our quarters to critique my mastering of you. I think…. now don't get too excited, but I think we are headed out on a mission in the next few days."   
  
#############   
  
Master Jinn crunched up along side of the temple hall as he left the training salles. Other padawans and initiates along with their masters were bustling past him to take their turn at a practice session with their sabers. Not one padawan or initiate missed the slouched dejected looking Master Jinn.   
  
If they thought anything about him and his loss of his apprentice they certainly wouldn't voice it. Master Jinn had suddenly become even more masterly than he had ever been, except with Anakin Skywalker. Criticism flew from his mouth if a padawan spoke to loud, walked to fast, or just in general aggravated him when rightly he should not have been concerned with their actions.   
  
The padawan page to Master Yoda looked in front of him and saw the master he had to deliver the message too but hesitated a moment. No young one liked to speak to Master Jinn, let alone give him a message he might not want to get.   
  
Gossip traveled fast in the temple and everyone knew Qui-Gon and his former master had had a ongoing disagreement since Jinn returned from the mission without his apprentice. He had insisted Jinn snap out of his melancholy and go on. Even went so far as to say Obi would have wanted it that way.   
  
The page to Yoda spoke up timidly and barely audible to Master Jinn. He had to literally block Jinn's walkway with his own little person to get the master to even pay attention t him.   
  
"Master, I…. Please…. I don't' wish to interrupt you however…."   
  
The apprentice in front of Jinn startled him and the boy was nearly run over by the hulk of a master before he stopped and looked down.   
  
"If you don't wish to interrupt me then why are you doing it, child?"   
  
Jinn should have recognized the young man as Yoda's personal page, once or twice a week but his thoughts were not on the here and now but the blast, he and Obi's past, together.   
  
Master Jinn started to walk around the boy which would have been difficult in the small hall, his big body, plus another smaller body in the way. However, he couldn't get around the boy because the padawan stepped right into his path again.   
  
The page was fearful of the stressed out master but his fear of his own overseer of the day, Master Yoda made him press on with his mission to deliver the message to Qui-Gon.   
  
"I am sorry Master Jinn, but Master Yoda insists this is very important. He wants you in his office right away."   
  
"Oh, now I recognize you. You're a page for Master Yoda twice a week or something like that."   
  
Jinn flung his hand in the air as if to acknowledge the boy and instruct him to move all at the same time.   
  
The boy looked sheepishly at the master.   
  
"Yes sir, he sent me to find you and bring you back to his office."   
  
Master Jinn reached out with the hand he had just motioned the boy aside with. The boy flinched at first with expectations that the master just might do him bodily harm.   
  
The only thing Jinn did in the line of being physical was to pick the boy up and set to him to the side of the hall, out of his path and started to walk away.   
  
The padawan page was losing the battle to get the message to Master Jinn and he knew it.   
  
"Master Jinn!!!!!!!"   
  
The boy had never yelled at anyone in his entire life, let alone a master, especially not the most majestic and powerful master in the order, Qui-Gon Jinn.   
  
The apprentice seemed to slink as far back into the hood of his robe as far as he could. He hoped he wouldn't be as visible, maybe be less of a target if the master did decide to strike him for the disrespectful screech of his name.   
  
"Listen child, you take this message, *my* message back to Yoda. I will see him after I have gone to my quarters, had a good stiff drink, and freshened up, not a minute before."   
  
//Whew…. Master Yoda will not like that at all. //The little padawan page shook his head no in agreement with his own mental statement to himself.   
  
It was his last chance and the page knew it. He really wasn't supposed to know what the meeting was about and he wouldn't if he hadn't eavesdropped. He couldn't help himself. There had been so much bustling around when Yoda's other guest arrived and with him a boy just about his age. The page didn't know who the boy was. However, he knew something big must be going on because the knight was the infamous Quinlan Vos.   
  
"Master Jinn, it is Quinlan Vos."   
  
Yoda's page knew that would get a rise out of Master Jinn. Vos was his first a padawan. After he was knighted there was a terrible disagreement between the two and Jinn rarely if ever spoke to or of him.   
  
Knight Vos in turn chose a life on the outer rim worlds. He rotated from planet to planet wherever a Jedi, very unconventional Jedi was needed. His diplomatic prowess, though uncharacteristic and sometimes even unethical for a Jedi, was successful on planets less civilized than Coruscant.   
  
The council, because of his success tended to overlook his roguish and sometimes unorthodox handling of certain missions. His looks alone were out of character for a typical Jedi. Long black dreadlocks framed his dark skinned face, darker even than Jinn's second padawan, Xanatos Crion. Tattoos adorned his entire body, with some, luckily hidden that might be considered X-rated!!   
  
His state of dress which bordered on almost primal native wear accented his rippled abs and large muscle-massed biceps. Yes, you could say that he was vain, arrogant, and certainly a rogue. However, no one could ever say Quinlan Vos was not the most gorgeous creature to come out of the temple in a long time. He knew it and enjoyed being 'that' creature..   
  
All those errors in his Jedi persona still did not prevent the council from using him to negotiate with some of the vilest beings in the universe, the Hutts included. As always Vos was just too 'dang' successful not to keep him in the order. Anything he did within the Jedi mantra, adorned his body with, or how he wore his hair was Quinlan Vos and in turn was accepted by the head masters because of his astonishing accomplishments.   
  
Jinn however, did not see it that way. He saw Vos as a Jedi failure and in doing so accepted some of the blame for that failure. He thought the council bent over backwards too often for his former apprentice.   
  
"Quinlan Vos. He is here?"   
  
"Yes Master Jinn and he has a young one with him."   
  
"Who? Did you see him? The boy I mean, did you see who the child was?"   
  
"NO, but.. Well… I really shouldn't tell you this because I…."   
  
It was like a light went off in Qui-Gon's head. After all, he was once an apprentice and had even been a message courier for council members occasionally throughout his apprenticeship.   
  
"Oh, I understand. You shouldn't tell me because by rights it was not told to you. You… shall we say…. *overheard* it?"   
  
Jinn gave the boy a knowing smirk of a smile, just enough to give the page a slight sense of relief. He knew to change the word for what the apprentice really did, 'eavesdrop' to the less accusatory 'overheard'. Eavesdrop might have denoted something wrong and thus closed the boy's mouth with fear of being reprimanded by Master Yoda's for his *nosey* ears.   
  
The boy's eyes lit up. Master Jinn understood clearly what he meant. To the page that was surprising but he thought it was his way off the hook if he got caught passing news which was not his to pass..   
  
"Well like I said it is not knowledge that I should know but the boy he brought and mind you I couldn't get a look at his face."   
  
It was as if the page had temporarily lost his train of thought and did not finish what he planned to say instead he offered up an excuse as to why he didn't see the boy's face….   
  
"He must have had on a cut-down version of Knight Vos' robe."   
  
"Well get on with it. What… the boy what…?"   
  
"Knight Quinlan Vos said the boy once belonged to you but he planned to see to it the "child" remained permanently HIS……"  
  
Qui-Gon, breathless from his rushed trek to Master Yoda's office, stopped short of just barging through the office door.   
  
He certainly didn't want his cool collected former apprentice, Quinlan Vos to see how un-Jedi like his overall condition was. Master Jinn was a stickler when it came to holding his Jedi outer shell for everyone around him to see. Right now he felt nothing like a Jedi with his weak knees, rapid heartbeat, and butterflies in his stomach which made keeping the urge down to just vomit all over the hall floor, extremely difficult.   
  
//I am not that anxious to see that pup of a Jedi. If my suspicions are right, I know exactly who that boy is. I told Tahl I didn't feel Obi's death. Now Vos has arrived and mysteriously in his possession he has the reason why I didn't feel the death of Obi-Wan. //  
  
Jinn had run through several corridors and taken three flights of steps, two at a time in a hard run just because he was too impatient to wait for the temple elevators to deposit him practically in front of Master Yoda's door. He had to know if Obi-Wan was with Quinlan or not. He still thought it odd that he could not touch the boy's force signature or reach him through their training bond and mental link.   
  
All that didn't matter now. The 'whys' of Jinn's inability to connect with Obi-Wan would be answered soon enough if he was right in his suspicions.   
  
The door opened before he completely regained his composure. The hand that opened the door belonged to his first, former, and in his mindset, failed apprentice, Quinlan Vos. He stood there with a devious almost knowing smile on his face.   
  
"Ah… Master Jinn, Yoda's little assistant must have mentioned my name."   
  
"Don't flatter yourself. The mention of your name is not the reason I rushed here. Yoda's young assistant mentioned quite harmlessly that a boy was brought here, *my property*? Only you would presume a person belonged to another person. Well, where is my property as you so immorally called him? I want to see Obi-Wan."   
  
Jinn shoved the door open wider to walk in. In doing so, he shoved his former apprentice all the way back against the wall with a loud thud when he hit. Vos' massive muscled body made violent contact with the wall behind the door; the obvious intent of Jinn's planned push, powered enhanced by the force itself..   
  
Qui-Gon looked around the room then back to the surprisingly normally dressed Jedi knight. Except for the soft moccasin leather boots laced all the way the side to his mid calf; Quinlan Vos wore the standard issue light beige long tunic and leggings.   
  
//He could almost visually pull off the fact that he is a Jedi knight, save those yellow streaked tattoos under each eye and those dreadful long strands of unkempt weaved hair. //  
  
"So sorry Master Jinn, if you have taken an unkindly exception to what I called your and Obi's relationship. However, that is what I thought you considered your apprentices, an object or trinket. You know something akin to a material possession that can be tossed aside if it isn't to you liking. Just as one might tire of the sleep sofa in their common room was how I thought you acted toward apprentices' under you. To you, children are not the precious commodity the Jedi mantra teaches. They are just something to toss out in the next day's trash if it doesn't suit *you*."   
  
Now Yoda didn't hesitate to step up between the two Jedi. He could tell things had taken a turn for the worse and he didn't want his new office furniture destroyed.   
  
"Sit you will Master Jinn. Much we have to say before the child brought in he is. And yes Qui-Gon suspense keep you in, I will not. Obi-Wan is here and in well health he appears to be.. How this happened, needs worked out it does."   
  
"I am certainly glad you observed concern in your former apprentice, Master Yoda. However if you saw suspense or concern over his apprentice in Master Jinn, you saw him differently than I did. No…. when Master Jinn walked through that door he planned to attack me and that was it."   
  
"Shut up Vos. Don't misconstrue my feelings or meanings to match yours. The only concern I have had or do have now is Obi-Wan and his well being. I assumed if Obi was here he was well."   
  
It still confused Master Jinn why he didn't feel his apprentice presence yet   
  
Vos' humorous look turned to one with deep dark intones scattered through out the frown on his face.   
  
"Well I certainly am glad you finally mentioned the boy. His presence brought you here, I presume. Surely you didn't get out of breathe to see me did you? Even though you anxiousness to know of Obi-Wan's well being, you couldn't really bring yourself to act concerned once you got here. Shame, Shame, Master Jinn."   
  
The gimer stick slammed on the floor.   
  
"Enough it is. See the boy now you shall. Care to mediate this argument between the two of you I do not."   
  
"There is no argument. I want to see my apprentice, know how he is, and how *he* got himself in this situation."   
  
"You are incredulous Jinn. Still unwilling to take any blame for your apprentices or what happened to them. I have heard what you did to Xanatos forced him to train the mighty chosen one. I hope for your and his sake he is indeed the 'Chosen One'. That will be the only way he ever receives any true praise, and you any true culpability for yourself as a master. I would hate for you to get your hands on or near another to screw up as you have managed to do with all three of your true apprentices."   
  
"I don't have to stand here and be insulted by the lies that just tumble so easily from your mouth."   
  
Vos walked over to Master Yoda's desk and flopped down on the outer edge of it. One foot balanced him while the other, almost tucked under his body swung aimlessly back and forth. He hadn't bothered to look at Master Jinn after his last words and the master grew boiling hot red with anger. Knight Quinlan Vos was the only Jedi with enough gall to sit on Master Yoda's desk. //His new one at that. //  
  
"No Master Jinn, you don't have to stand here and do anything. In fact you can turn you bony 'behind' around and leave. I just wanted to touch base with the council, let them know I had taken an apprentice….."   
  
Jinn shook with inside anger for his former apprentice that had quickly began to spew out and over his normally calm exterior.. He had no doubt Quinlan meant Obi-Wan was his apprentice.   
  
"Absurd and you know it. You can't just snatch another master's apprentice from him. Even if you could you have to consider the bond that would need to be broken between them."   
  
There was a nervousness in Jinn when he mentioned a bond, because still as of yet he had not felt his apprentice through their shared training bond.   
  
"You know Qui-Gon instead of bickering about who *OWNS* the boy you would think your concerns would lie first in his well being?"   
  
Now Jinn was livid. Did Quinlan insinuate he didn't care for Obi-Wan or the condition he was in?   
  
"If Obi is here and I know he is, and he is not at the healers' ward which you have already indicated he isn't, I should have no concerns should I Vos? You haven't done anything to harm the child have you?"   
  
"No, but then again as his new master I won't leave him, abandon him as it were and high tale it off planet just because of a few problems. If my apprentice, Obi-Wan Kenobi is captured I will remain behind and fight for him, unlike his old master who left him without lifting a finger to search for him."   
  
Jinn started to speak up, stepped closer to Vos to do it right in his face when he felt a hard smack to his knee from Yoda's gimer stick.   
  
"Settle you both will or discuss this later, before gathered council masters we will. More official setting it will be, less objections have, you can."   
  
"No, don't' interrupt him Master Yoda. I want to hear the explanation on why the all-powerful force connected Jinn did not feel his apprentice still alive. He insists even now he knew Obi was not dead but left him. Maybe the council would like to hear it as well."   
  
Quinlan Vos are you insinuating I have committed some kind of in improprieties where my apprentice is concerned. The council will know differently. I have been nothing but a diligently loyal master to Obi-Wan. To all of my ingrate apprentices and this is what I get.//   
  
Vos swung his leg back and forth harder. The other leg still held his weight half off the desk.   
  
"Well the only way we can tell what the council thinks is to convene before them and ask. I contend you abandoned your apprentice and he is mine now. Not only doesn't he want to be your apprentice he wishes to have no further contact with you Master Jinn. You may of course see him a few moments to insure his health, although you haven't even acted as though that was a major concern. Always an item impossible to attain, your affection wasn't it Master Jinn? You couldn't even bring yourself to say you had been a loving master just a *diligently loyal* one. But not with this one. I plan to see you can't extinguish the light in this one's face that I see. He is destined to important things in this galaxy, more important that even your chosen one. That is what I see in him. You saw someone that could be cast aside for your chosen one. You will see Obi-Wan Kenobi bows to no one any longer"   
  
"This is ridiculous. I am here to retrieve my apprentice. I intend to take him to the healers to be checked out and from their home. Vos do you really think the council will allow you a Jedi who prefers isolation to companionship, who prefers violence to a peaceful means of a dispute, and considers on one else well being other than yours, would be allowed to take an apprentice, let alone snake mine from me? Now I would like to reunite with my apprentice please."   
  
Vos stood up and walked over to the door of Yoda's smaller sitting room just off his office. He opened it and already standing in the doorway was Obi-Wan Kenobi, a very shy meek boy possibly a bit thinner, but well.   
  
Jinn immediately noticed Obi-Wan's gaunt appearance and his faraway gaze when Vos roughly pushed his hood off. The page had been right. The child was squirrelly looking, clothed in a ratty old robe tattered and torn throughout. Along the sleeves and the hem of that robe it was clear that it had been cut very haphazardly to accommodate its present smaller owner now.   
  
Qui-Gon made the couple of wide strides necessary to reach his apprentice, had even gotten close enough to touch him before Vos slid between them. Not only did he insert himself between obi-Wan and Jinn, Knight Quinlan took his right hand and pushed Obi further behind him. It was an act that resembled one to protect the child. Qui-Gon noticed with a touch of jealously the extra ministration of a calming touch he gave the boy with his hand still on Obi's forearm. A light squeeze, something Qui-Gon might do to reassure the boy in a time of crisis on a mission. Something a master does as a reassuring gesture when they think their apprentice might be in harm's way.   
  
There almost nose to nose Qui-Gon Jinn had grown angrily tired of Quinlan and his innuendoes of his inabilities as a master to train a padawan. He squared his shoulders and prepared himself to face off physically if he had too with Quinlan Vos, //and in Yoda's office of all places!!! //  
  
Master Yoda's first instinct was to use his gimer stick on both their chins. That was his first desire but the fire and ice in both Jedi's faces halted his forward motion toward them. The wiseness of stepping between the two was questioned by Yoda to himself. He decided to stay where he was, just to the right of them.   
  
Clenched jaws made the streaked tattoos stretched across Quinlan's face resemble taut yellow rubber bands on the verge of snapping under the intense pressure.. The tattoos on his face were to distinguish his position within his ancestral clan from his home world, but they only heightened the sinister foreboding of his appearance.   
  
Jinn's brow furrowed in a deeper frown made deeper with age lines around his eyes and on his forehead. two sets of hands locked into fists. Neither gave an inch to the other, still as statues. Rock iron muscled frame of Quinlan Vos against older but still just as rock hard lean body of Master Jinn waited. Something had to give, had to break under the stone silence but which one would speak or act first. Yoda decided he would finally break up the disgraceful display of anger of the supposedly two grown Jedi.   
  
"Before the council with this issue Knight Vos has been. Compelling argument he has for requesting your apprentice to removed from your mastering."   
  
"Compelling!! What could he have said that would make the council believe for a second that I have never put Obi-Wan's best interest before anyone's?"   
  
"Never before have you padawan of mine listened to the council if you think the force elicits another path for you. In this you were different. Said you have repeatedly that Obi-Wan did not *feel dead*. Refused you have to have memorial pyre service for you, yet search for him you do not. Reason for that, hope you can give me? Included in the council decision, I am not. Ask to be set aside as head master on this dispute, I have. No… trust you explicitly I do and hope you prove me and yourself righteous in this. However, several on the council see a dark cloud over this they do. Question actions concerning your true apprentice they do. Even some, unnamed they will stay, suspect desire more to assist in training of the 'Chosen One' than desire there was to train a child you already had questions about? No, not me for believe you in all things I do. Reason for you lack of desire to search for the boy concerns the council it does, know the reason for it I also would like. Until satisfied they are, bequeath the boy to Knight Vos they also have. Temporary this can be."   
  
Yoda shot a dark look to Knight Vos and violently twitched his ears, as close as you could get to make Yoda show anger.   
  
"Remember you should Knight Vos, temporary for now it is. No bond is to be formed. It is up to you to prove them wrong Qui-Gon, if desire it is in your heart to do so."   
  
Qui-Gon was too angry, dumbfounded all around confused to speak. He had nothing to say to Vos for he believed this act was some kind of vendetta.   
  
//Quinlan blames me for the way he has turned out. Maybe he would really like to be like the rest of *US*, *normal* // totally a wishful thought on Jinn's part.   
  
"I am not going to stand here and justify my actions, any of them."   
  
The smoldering web of questions to himself in the back of Jinn's mind, started to worm its way forward..   
  
//Why didn't I initiate a search party or refuse to leave the planet if I believed Obi alive? The council thinks it was because of my hidden desire to be more in the training of the "Chosen One". They are wrong, aren't they? //  
  
"I refuse to stand here and let a low-life knight, not worthy enough to wipe another Jedi's boot, presume to know the reason behind my actions. Obi-Wan can stay with him until this is settled and believe me Vos, you will not win in this."   
  
"Win? We are not in a contest Master Jinn. Obi-Wan is a human being, not a prize to be won in some game."   
  
"What does Obi-Wan want?"   
  
There….. As soo as he asked the question about Obi-Wan's wishes, Qui-Gon noticed the look on his former apprentice's face. It was very nearly a start raving crazed look. One that if the council masters, saw might not be as willing to let the boy remain with him. However, Jinn knew how controlled Quinlan was and the council would never see that look.   
  
Qui-Gon thought he also knew what caused this wild look on his former apprentice's face. He waited for Vos to confirm his suspicions and they were very handily and viciously confirmed.   
  
"What Obi-Wan thinks? He is a child, dear master, a mere child. Isn't that what you told the council about me when I couldn't have been more than a half year older, when I requested a new master? I asked to be transferred from your training, because of your disrespect for my people's traditions. I was a mere child as well when I came back from my home world tattooed in ways of my clansmen's that did not meet your approval. Jedi have always recognized our markings as a heritage not to be slighted, but as you said you couldn't in good conscience condone such vain display of art work?!?! All the high masters down through the ages approved but the mighty Qui-Gon Jinn couldn't. They were to identify me and my kind, not something in away showy or vain on my part but you truly never saw it that way. The same as my choice of hair styles. So many little complaints put a wedge between us Master. A wedge had has only been buried deeper since I became a knight. Yes I was a child just as Obi-Wan is. I remained with you and in doing so was reminded every day of the week how much disdain you had for my markings, how embarrassed you were I carried them so casually."   
  
"So *that* is what all this is about. You think I ridiculed you and your clansmen's traditions to paint bodily, ornate little symbols. Then there you have it Master Yoda. His motive. Surely the council can see through it. He has carried some imaginary grudge all this time. I think there are other things that he does not care for about me either. But this is enough to convince the council of his less than honorable reasons for wanting my apprentice to be his."   
  
"Possibly may have vendetta he does, Qui-Gon. However base their decision solely on Quinlan Vos' desires the council did not. Ask another and confirmed Vos' feelings as his own, your apprentice Obi-Wan did…"   
  
Jinn watched as Obi-Wan buried his face against Vos' outer tunic as if the truth could get him in serious trouble with his master, his real master Qui-Gon. Around the broad mass that was Quinlan poked two hands, more childlike than Qui-Gon remembered them being. They bunched up the knight's tunic as he twisted his fists on either side of Vos. Master Yoda could see that things had gotten out of hand. The two grown Jedi acted more like the child that literally hid, cowered in fear behind Vos' back. Obi-Wan only grew more upset as the older Jedi bantered back and forth on who was right or wrong in all this.   
  
Yoda knew he had to do something to break up this potentially violent impasse. Qui-Gon went through a series of emotional feelings in that moment. He stepped back in shock when he felt the unexplained fear emanate from Obi-Wan. There was no doubt the fear was because of only one person in the room, him. While he had not desire to inflict more terror in the child, his instincts to satisfy his own whirling emotions was to go to Obi-Wan and let him know he was glad to see him and that the apprentice need not fear him. //Fear of his own master. What has Vos said to turn Obi-Wan against me?//   
  
Jinn of course did not know the full truth, did not know that Vos had absolutely nothing to do with the feelings Obi now harbored for him, the master.   
  
//The entire truth in this, Qui-Gon needs to hear. Hear it he will, but away from small ears that could hear it also.//   
  
"Enough of this barroom brawl tactics, Jedi you are and show me anything less you will not. Qui-Gon step into my outer office you will. Too much has been said in front of the distraught little one already. No more will be discussed in Padawan Kenobi's presence. Tell you another important fact not told yet, main reason it is for Obi's hesitation to connect with you again."   
  
Vos of course knew what that important *fact* was. It was something Jinn should have really been told first off, before all this got out of hand.   
  
What Yoda had to tell Master Jinn would have cleared up some of the hard feelings and confrontational attitude? Quinlan Vos loved confrontations of any kind. He also enjoyed getting under the great Master Jinn's skin any way, shape, or form. Now he knew Yoda would let it all out and things would settle down once Jinn knew the entire truth of why his little padawan had turned to Quinlan Vos instead of taking harbor in Jinn's waiting arms.   
  
Shortly, Jinn would know exactly why there was no connection with his apprentice, why Obi-Wan had chosen, at least temporarily to stay with Vos not him, and maybe most importantly, why Obi-Wan Kenobi feared his master so much.   
  
PEACE ewen  
  
I must give credit to Padawan_Kat for her brilliant idea to use the rogue Quinlan in one of her stories at another site.. I told her that I would like to *use* him in my story and got her blessing. So thank you, for the idea!!! 


	4. Jinn's being pathetic, ObiWan is unsure...

padawan_kat: Glad you approve!!! Thanks again! I am afraid *kyer* wouldn't like your characterization of Obi or Vos either !!!!LOL!!!! However I DO!!!!  
  
#  
  
Kyer: you wrote: "I've yet to find one believable character and that's a shame. Try shooting for the middle instead of the extremes. Unless you are shooting for melodrama."   
  
Sorry you didn't care for my characterization. Read Dark Horse with Vos and you will find him a beefy hunk and quite a bit tamer than I write him. Watson's Xanatos is close to himself and Qui and Obi?? I don't think there are not many FF writers around that doesn't give them more of a character than Lucas did. Have a good day!!!!.  
  
#  
  
koriaena: in response to you. You wrote: "this is a good story line. you might want to mark where there's a change in scene though."  
  
Thank you, any tips on how to write a better story is appreciated. Sometimes the reader even if they aren't a writer, can point out what makes a better read!!!  
  
#  
  
BreathofNight : To you I want to tell you I do appreciate it when reader takes a few seconds to post. It really is feed for a writer. It keeps us motivated, no matter if we are a beginner or a seasoned writer. ewen  
  
########## In the Crion/Skywalker living quarters#################  
  
Qui-Gon had to admit Xanatos and Anakin both had done everything possible to keep him out of his melancholy state. The readily tolerance of him from both of them pleasantly shocked the big padawan-less master. He thought he had felt a little resentment from Ani in the beginning.   
  
If it was resentment he felt when he first began to assert himself as a third wheel with the master padawan team, Crion and Skywalker he knew it derived from the fact that he hung around too much. What else did he have to do? All field missions for Master Jinn had been temporarily suspended.   
  
He had a choice of always eating alone in his apartment where he now lived alone, to eat with Xani and Anakin, or go to the commissary and listen to the bustle that still continued among the initiates and padawans about the good looking rogue Jedi Quinlan Vos. Of course the knights and masters weren't above the gossip. They however were a little more discretionary about who they gossiped with and did it a little more discreetly amongst themselves.   
  
It had gotten around the temple that Jinn had lost his apprentice Obi-Wan to Vos, although no one seemed to know or care why. In fact, no one in the temple bothered with the entire truth when they gossiped. By the time the twit headed little giggly girls finished with the story, Qui-Gon had been the great big mean master that abused his apprentice and Quinlan had become the savior that swooped in to rescue Obi-Wan from Bulenese and then from who had become through the grape vine, his beast of a master.   
  
The opinions by others of the master and knight had suddenly become out of keel, seemingly flip flopped by the tale repeated and repeated of their fight for Obi-Wan Kenobi. 'Beast of a master', certainly not Qui-Gon. His demeanor of sterness but fairness was familiar to everyone or was before all this happened. The gossip that designated Quinlan Vos the gentle kind rescuer were not qualities that any of the council masters had ever witnessed from Knight Vos.   
  
The younger Jedi and the knights and masters who had never worked with the rogue, knew little if anything of his character traits for certain. However, gossipers didn't care for the certainities or the truth. *They* wanted to be able to convey to others the most horrible of the gossip real or unreal.   
  
Jinn would certainly not correct them. It was beneath him to show concern for idle lie-filled gossip. However, Qui could tell during last meal hour in the main commissary that Quinlan was getting a real delight out of the misconstrued stories. Especially when they made him come out the hero in all of it.   
  
"Qui you really shouldn't let Quinlan Vos get under your skin the way you have. I have to say I was as shocked as you to see him and with Obi-Wan no less. If your little ingrate of a padawan wants to remain with him then so be it. I would think it was a load off your shoulders. Such lack of loyalty, blatant betrayal that is what it was."   
  
"You shouldn't see it that way Xani. I know you have your 'outs' with Quinlan, but...."   
  
"Me, have outs? Is there anyone around that can stand him? Ahh, I know the little females padawans drool over him and the males think he a lion of a warrior, but aside of that….. Everyone knows he is sent on missions others *won't* do."   
  
There was an instant resentment for Xanatos' words about Quinlan. An unnamed desire to defend the knight, his former apprentice hit Jinn and he spoke before he even had time to hold himself back.   
  
"Or can't? There is no Jedi; myself included who can do some of the remarkable diplomatic wheelings and dealings that Vos can do." //Where did that bit of praise for my former apprentice come from?//   
  
Xani turned and glared at this former master. He thought in this one thing, their feelings for Quinlan Vos, they could both agree. Evidently by Jinn's last statement they couldn't.   
  
"Qui-Gon Jinn, just what is that suppose to mean? Surely you haven't changed you mind about that snake, Quinlan Vos? I thought your opinions of him lay very closely to what mine are, what the entire temple's are, except the swooning little teenage girls and a few of the council masters who use his talents, hopefully at the expense of his life."   
  
"Xanatos, the council would never do that."   
  
"All right, let me rephrase, in spite of the expense of his life. I don't think they care what happens to him as long as he gets his missions completed. I think if he was killed today on a mission there wouldn't be much hubbub about it. Certainly not as much as is going on today and that are just the gossip mongers that fuel that."   
  
Jinn ignored all the negative comments about Vos. He instead focused on the gossip which had little truth in it.   
  
"I grant you that. The gossip has been rampant around here and all of it or most of it anyway is made up lies."   
  
Ani walked in with a plate of cookies, a bag of chips, and a soda.   
  
Qui-Gon raised one eyebrow and cocked his head up from his seated position to watch the boy force-balance the immense loaded down tray of food in his hand.   
  
"Another snack Ani? I don't know how your master keeps the food pantry here stocked."   
  
The humorous comment elicited a true smile from Anakin Skywalker; something seldom seen. Since he left his mother and arrived at the temple, honest happiness and good moments had been few and far between.   
  
Ani had been a little nicer to Master Qui-Gon sir, as he called him. He didn't care for Vos, was even more jealous of him than he was of Obi-Wan and in turn Jinn became a victim instead of the nagging master. Anakin thought it never hurt to have another master, especially one as powerful within the Jedi order on your side and Master Jinn certainly gravitated to Xanatos and Anakin even more now with all the confusion over his apprentice.   
  
"Master Qui-Gon sir, this is just my normal daily ration for my bedtime snack, nothing more."   
  
Anakin plopped down on the floor next to where his own master, Xanatos sat; his tray of food still balanced with the use of the force. He shot an irresistible smile of innocence toward the Jedi master, Jinn and spoke again. He felt comfortable enough to comment on Obi-Wan and Vos.   
  
"I tell you Master Jinn, the council showed their true colors when they sided with Vos and not you."   
  
"They didn't side with anyone. How could they ignore Obi-Wan's feeling in all this?"   
  
Xani jumped in with his unkind observation of Obi-Wan's actions.   
  
"Come off it Jinn, you give both your former apprentices, Obi and Vos too much credit. Obi-Wan had to realize that what he watched that day, what the Bulenese people supplied him with was just a doctored up a holoview of the Bulenses leader and you deep in conversation. That you would never turn him over to them and leave him willingly."   
  
"Now Xani, Obi had been injured, was confused. You put him the most critical light, as if all this is his fault and I don't see it that way."   
  
"OH.. Well Qui-Gon let me tell you what I *didn't* see. I didn't notice a gaping hole in your apprentice's head and that is what he would have needed to be that confused. He would have needed an injury to his head where his brain had just oozed out. How could he possibly believe you would leave him in favor of Anakin's and my life."   
  
"He did though, Xanatos. I have no doubts about that. You can't blame Vos either for this situation we are now in, not entirely at least. He just happened to be there at the right time. I should be eternally grateful to him. He did rescue my apprentice from the Bulenese and their planned medical experiments on the child. The only truly underhanded he did in all this was refusing to allow me to have my own apprentice back. I think he could have encouraged Obi-Wan to attempt to reunite with me and the child would have listened. Obi-Wan already seems to trust Vos a great deal." //Maybe too much for his own good.//   
  
The statement thought by Jinn would remain unsaid. He did not want to cause any more problems than they already had.   
  
Xanatos slammed the data pad; he had been attempting to go over, onto the sleep sofa of his small apartment.   
  
"GRATEFUL? That's bull Jinn and you know it. Vos is a trouble maker. He may have brought Obi-Wan home, but he has caused you enough trouble throughout you connection with him to warrant having him brought up on charges himself. I contend that was his intention from the beginning, when he realized what a treasure he found on the Bulenese planet. That is what he considered when he found him there held captive for their studies on a force enhanced Jedi. You know that."   
  
Xanatos shook his head in defiance of Jinn's 'grateful' opinion of Quinlan Vos.   
  
"Why…. why do you make excuses for him, always for the infamous Knight Vos? I never heard too many of those lame excuses for me made up by you. As defiant as you may have thought I was at one time, I have a halo where Vos has horns…... Same with Obi-Wan. I thought you said just last week you could be satisfied overseeing the training of Anakin. Now you have become depressed again over the Kenobi boy."   
  
"Xanatos you should have seen his face when Yoda got him pried from the tunic of Vos. Obi-Wan was terrified. He feared me. He literally clung to my other former padawan in sheer terror of his own master."   
  
Jinn let the memory of Obi-Wan's fearful actions that day seep through and rerun like a bad holoview in his mind.   
  
"The Bulenese showed him that doctored holoview at his weakest, when he was most vulnerable and mind suggestive. He had been injured, no force to help aid his healing and control the pain and he was so alone. He saw the holoview with me where it looked and sounded like I had made a bargain with the Bulenese; his life for Anakin's. Without the force to direct him and evidently his already pent-up insecurities where Anakin was concerned, what he watched, my apprentice *thought* was the truth."   
  
Xani walked over and slouched back on the sofa, very nearly lying down when he did..   
  
"Well, I think you are better off without him. How could he think you favored my apprentice over yours, that you would forfeit his life for ours? Not a bad idea to me if you had to do it or did it but you didn't. You are blameless."   
  
"Yes, but I have to get the Obi-Wan to see that, as well as a couple of stubborn masters on the council who believe his quirky little tale, Vos included."   
  
Xani sat back up, pulled the data pad back up and into his lap.   
  
"No, no, no, I don't buy that. Your former apprentice knows you well enough to know you did not leave Obi in such a predicament. He brought Obi here only to get you in trouble. He doesn't believe for a second Obi-Wan's rants and raves that belie your betrayal of him. Vos sees it as a way to get back at you. You and he have never gotten along since he was knighted."   
  
Master Jinn couldn't figure out how Xani had gotten so wise just in a short time but he had. Qui-Gon had begun to have a new found respect of his apprentice he once questioned.   
  
"Listen Xanatos, I saw the raw fear in the boy's eyes and after Master Yoda explained why I understood more. The healers have been working with him. They say it could be days or weeks but the boy will one day understand that the Bulenese tricked him. The fake holoview was shown to him over and over repeatedly to pound into his head that I had willingly left him in favor of saving our lives. It was certainly a unique and different way to try to break the child's resistance to them. I can only imagine that after the tenth or fifteenth time of seeing what he thought was me in the process of bargaining for our lives with him as the bargaining chip, it left an indelible and negative impression on Obi-Wan's mind; one not easily, and contrary to what the healers say, if ever, erasable."  
  
##############   
  
Two weeks……. Two weeks at the temple and nothing had changed.   
  
Obi-Wan dragged himself to the temple healers, mind healers that is, every single day and nothing. There was nothing they could say or he could think of that would erase the very vivid and to Obi-Wan, real memory of what he saw in the holoview. He had been told that nothing he saw was real, that Jinn had never abandoned him or that he never would have chosen him over Xanatos Crion's apprentice Anakin Skywalker, but nothing did anything to clear up the way he felt.   
  
//I am not even sure how I feel.//   
  
######meal time in the Vos apartment######   
  
Obi sat and forked up a piece of the most unappetizing looking piece of meat he had ever seen. His hand quivered and that quivering matched his lips as he touched the blood-raw meat to them, only to withdraw it and place the meat back on his plate, uneaten and still very much *RAW*. Of course he made sure first that his present guardian, Quinlan Vos was not looking at him.   
  
//I assume it is cooked… somewhat, but the blood still oozes from it. I suppose when Master …I mean Knight Quin said it was rare…boy was it *RARE*!!!! //  
  
Obi-Wan glanced up again from his nearly if not at all cooked meat to see Knight Vos ravishingly consuming his.   
  
The knight might have missed one bite of food when he used his fork to point to Obi-Wan, but never did he raise his eyes from the plate of already *half eaten*, *almost raw* bantha steak.   
  
//Maybe he thinks his meat is still alive enough to jump up and run if he gives it a chance, // Obi thought humorously to himself before Vos spoke mumbling with his mouth stuffed full of uncooked and now un-chewed meat.   
  
Jinn's apprentice watched disgustingly as the knight bunched the food up in one jaw like it was a pouch, like maybe a squirrel would store his nut to take home.   
  
"Don't you like your food? Want something else? Sorry can't help you there. You eat what we have and this is what we both *have* tonight."   
  
Obi didn't like the food, but he certainly wasn't going to complain about it. He had seen a side of Vos that not many were privy too, the human side. However, he had heard rumors and whispers between Master Mace and his master, Qui-Gon enough to know what he had thus far witnessed about this Quinlan Vos was not the 'norm' for him. Obi-Wan wanted to prolong seeing that much discussed normalcy in Quinlan Vos for as long as possible, maybe never if he was lucky.   
  
"No master… I mean… no Knight Vos, this is fine, really."   
  
Quin nodded his agreement about the food being *good*, but still did not take time away from his culinary delight to look at Obi-Wan.   
  
"Good, then eat. I want to put you through some katas and then you have to meditate before bed."   
  
This time Quin attacked the food with his fork and stuffed a too large of a piece in his mouth. As he spoke, the flowing haired knight let the oozy aujus, made mostly of the blood of the animal drip from the corners of his mouth. He took his tunic sleeve and wiped it off.   
  
//Wow! He really has been living on the outer planets. He must have shared a great many meals with the Hutts to have table manners like this. //  
  
Obi liked amusing his mind, his now very empty mind with something humorous or what he thought was funny. He had broken connection with his master, tightly shielded from him though he didn't admit to anyone that he knew why the connection was broken. He knew exactly why he and Jinn were not now connected mentally. Obi-Wan had stubbornly and surprisingly forceful stopped it by shielding with shields not normally so powerful for someone his age.   
  
However, he had no intention of revealing why he could not connect with his master and the healers never once suspected it was his shields and for that matter neither had his master. His self confidence in not being found out was soon shattered. He watched as Quinlan Vos pushed his empty plate out of the way, leaned back in his chair and stretched his legs, which were very nearly as long as Qui-Gon's.   
  
//Why do I keep thinking of Master Jinn? I want nothing more to do with him maybe that is why I can tolerate Vos, he is just like me and besides he is nice to me …well so far. //  
  
Obi was just about to find out that there was something Vos was not nice about, his directness. He did have an uncanny and annoying knack of saying what he thought and telling anyone, Obi included, how he felt about things.   
  
Obi-Wan struggled with another bite of blood-dripping meat when he looked up and saw a set of deep blue eyes nearly covered with locks of undone black-as-night hair watching him in serious earnest.   
  
"How did it go at the *mind-pickers* today? Get anything out of you, did they?"   
  
A touch of anger started to flair up before Obi-Wan banked it then checked to make sure his shields were up as tightly as they could be.   
  
"I don't think I am to go there for them to "get" something out of me. They are to help me deal with the issues that I have with my master."   
  
Quin nodded his agreement, but the dead stare right at the boy led Obi-Wan to believe Quinlan Vos didn't think a word that came from his mouth was the truth.   
  
"Did they help you then.. With your *issues*… I mean…"   
  
"Do you mean did we accomplish anything, find out why I can't make a bonding connection with my master again? If that is what you mean, then the answer is no."   
  
Obi-Wan didn't even want to bring up the holoview of Jinn and the Bulenese leader. The horrible holoview, which in Obi's mind showed the two deep in discussion over what was Anakin Skywalker's safe return to the temple in favor of his being left behind as a scientific experiment.   
  
The healers had been unsuccessful in their attempt to convince Obi-Wan that the tape he watched was not real. It still seemed too real for Obi-Wan to deal with. He thought Vos referred to the *issues* as being not lack of connection with his master. That was what the healers had focused on since they got nowhere in their attempt to convince Obi of the falsehood of the video tape.   
  
The young Jedi apprentice tried not to sound curt, but he did, hoped he didn't sound rude, but he must have. He did make an attempt at civility but he just didn't like Quinlan casting aspersions on him and that dislike showed verbally in his spoken words to him. .   
  
Obi thought he really had covered all bases and that no one was the wiser as to why the bond was dormant between him and Qui-Gon.   
  
"Oh well I suppose that is what I mean. You know if you *accomplished* anything."   
  
Silence, an eerie kind of silence that chilled Obi-Wan to the bone overtook the two until Quinlan, after what seemed like an eternity spoke again. This time in a bit harsher, more accusatory tone.   
  
"You really think you have pulled the wool over everyone's eyes don't' you, kid? Oh and Kenobi you certainly have a mouth on you. If I was the prim and proper Jedi overseer that the rest of the knights and masters are around here, I might be offended, indignant, maybe even a little contrite with the way you spoke to me just now. However, I am not like those pompous asses, but mind you I could be. If I were…. say… in a grumpy mood, out of sorts the next time you show such blatant disrespect; there might just be repercussions for your disrespect. Punishment? Nay, I don't believe in it….. in the traditional Jedi ways of punishing a young one. However, you could expect some form of repercussions for your disrespect just the same."   
  
Now Obi-Wan was a bit worried. If he was not to be punished for disrespect by this knight in the traditional ways padawans were reprimanded, what would be done to him? How did Knight Vos handle a situation where a padawan was rude to him?   
  
Obi conjured up images of his left ear being painfully and unmercifully notched as a permanent reminder with the knight's saber, a large tattoo branded on his forehead that somehow denoted his incoercible behavior, hung up from the ceiling in chains, by only his thumbs, with his feet barely able to touch the floor, anything rogue-Jedi-like, he thought of. He just couldn't imagine what Knight Vos meant, but Kenobi knew he would never be rude or curt again to give the Jedi knight a reason to demonstrate what he meant.   
  
Obi-Wan was startled back to the present when Quinlan spoke to him again.   
  
"I don't' think you would want to see me in a bad mood, especially if it was because of something you had said or done."   
  
Obi-Wan stirred the peas around on his plate. At least they were fairly edible, aside from them being unappetizingly raw.   
  
//I managed to keep the blood from the bantha steak off of them.. Yeah, the peas I can eat.//  
  
Obi-Wan thought of what he could eat as a way of keeping his mind off the more pressing problem at hand; Quinlan Vos across the table staring him down like Vos was the predator, Obi-Wan the prey.   
  
"Uhn.. I don't think I understand what you mean Master Knight Vos."   
  
It had worked plenty of times with his real master Qui-Gon Jinn so Obi-Wan thought he could pull it on Vos and stay out of trouble. He tried to the old *play dumb routine* about everything!!!!   
  
"Knock it off kid, you are just not that stupid and I know it, whether Qui-ole-boy did or not. Another thing, quit with that *supposed* misnomer of calling me your master. I *ain't* your master. Sith's hell I am not even sure I ever want to take on the reasonability of a padawan. I certainly wouldn't take on one that can't be honest with others, and most importantly honest with himself. That "little man" is you. Nevertheless, I will see to your care until a master, one more suitable than Master Jinn is found. Another thing I wouldn't do is take a padawan if I couldn't be a better master than Qui-Gon is… was."   
  
Obi-Wan did not like the knight condemning his master. He wasn't sure if the condemnations was because of how he perceived Jinn's treatment of Obi-Wan was or was the knights negative assessment of their shared master because of the way Qui-Gon trained Vos.   
  
Obi-Wan didn't know and wasn't sure he wanted to know. He had so much to think about he couldn't think. He was worried about how much Vos knew and he suspected Quinlan knew a lot more than he admitted too. The apprentice was confused about the honesty bit with others and himself. Just everything confused him. He wasn't afraid now, he was just too mixed up to be scared about *ANYTHING*.   
  
Quinlan landed a hard blow to the table top as he sat up and leaned over it as far as he could to look directly into Obi-Wan's eyes.   
  
"Don't think you can fool me like you do the rest of them!! I will go along with your games, but only so far kid, only so far."   
  
Obi-Wan fought to control his rapid breathing, tried hard to keep his eyes on Vos and not show fear. He was losing the battle that Vos had *already* won. The knight didn't move a muscle, blink an eye, just remained like a stone fixed there with his stare still on Obi-Wan. Obi had to think of something. It wasn't that he feared the man.   
  
Obi-Wan had never felt any warning of true danger from the force to warn him of Vos. But he wanted the questions directed away from him. No, Obi-Wan Kenobi did not fear the man before him, he feared how much that man, Jinn's first apprentice knew as it pertained to him and his shielding to stop Jinn from forming another mental link with him again.   
  
Obi knew he had to break up the confrontation between them and the direction the questioning was taking. Obi-Wan took a more direct approach with his question. An approach he hoped did not anger the knight and he spoke in his very most timid and respectful voice but the words spoken weren't all that timid.   
  
"Do you really think Master Jinn is not a suitable master? Is that the real reason for your reluctance to hand me over to him, or is it your way of getting back at *OUR* master? Am I a *banner* to in some way carry on your vendetta against Master Jinn?"   
  
Obi-Wan laid his fork to the side of his plate and stared at Vos. He waited for an answer. Quin stared back and didn't seem at all surprised by the question. He certainly didn't act like it bothered him to have it asked and Obi was a little surprised by Jinn's former apprentice's response, though it wasn't the one he wanted.   
  
"Oh, I don't know kid. Which is it with you? You answer my question, I'll answer yours. You tell me if you really believe you can trick the council, Master Jinn, Master Yoda, and even me with your tale of not knowing what happened to make your bond with Qui-Gon go silent and I will tell you whether I took you in to in some way get back at Jinn or if I am honestly concerned for *your* well being."   
  
Obi-Wan was truly shaken by the frankness of the knight. He still had not real fear of him, just of what he knew. There was no way he could stare this one down. He had been trained to never let an opponent, enemy or otherwise see fear in you, never break down, and never be the first to break eye contact. Obi couldn't help it. As the knight stood stoic and resolved to wait out Obi's silence, the boy dropped his hands along with his stare to his lap.   
  
Suddenly Quinlan had a change of heart, a gentler change of heart. He felt sorry for the little one before him. For a split second he remembered how terrified Obi-Wan was when he found and rescued him from the Bulenese people.   
  
Quinlan also remembered that Obi-Wan truly believed Jinn had betrayed him, left him in favor of keeping the "Chosen One" safe. Vos realized that what the boy did now to cause he and Jinn's bond to fail was done out of pure unadulterated fear and hurt over what he believed to be Jinn's actions!!!!   
  
//What the Kenobi kid thought he saw on that doctored up holoview was unforgivable for a master to commit. The really sad part is Obi-Wan still believes it to be true and I am not sure that will ever change. //  
  
He knew Obi was the reason the master/apprentice bond was nullified at the moment between Jinn and Obi. It went without saying there was mental anguish and actual physical pain for both from a split like that. More so for the less experienced padawan than for the seasoned master, self taught from previous experience in how to deal with broken bonds.   
  
//To be as brazen as to tenure his bond with his master, Padawan Kenobi must truly, truly believe that what he saw on that holoview was his master's betrayal of him. Now Jinn is different. Xanatos and I both severed our bonds fast and horrifically. However we were both a good ten years older than this little kid is now. Jinn should know how to deal with an untrusting apprentice and their swiftly broken bonds.//   
  
Knight Quinlan Vos remained quiet, finally. He stood and turned to go to the door.   
  
Right as he started to leave, he felt he had to give the boy some reprieve from his state of misery and worry.   
  
"Listen young one, you'll have to forgive me. I don't like being caged up like this, at the temple. Just over two weeks and I am circling like a crazed animal. I suppose I let my emotions get to me a little in all this because of that trapped feeling. Let's forget about the katas tonight. You meditate, study, and then go straight to bed. Hear me?"   
  
Obi did not verbally answer but shook his head, yes. He knew it was not a way to address a knight or master in the Jedi, yet right now he wasn't able to speak. He was in too much turmoil to correct his mistake.   
  
Had it been Jinn, he would have been furious with just a nod, but Quinlan didn't let it bother him, didn't even seem to realize Obi was expected to speak.   
  
"Look I am going to the city, have a couple of drinks, relax a little. You do as I tell you. OK?"   
  
Quinlan seemed honestly concerned for Obi-Wan now and it only confused the child more. Was he nice or was he the rogue-care-for-no-one-at-all person other Jedi said he was? Obi-Wan didn't know and right now he didn't really care. He just wanted out of the conversation, go to his room, and then think about his problems. Problems he realized only now he had brought on himself by his stubbornness to connect with his master.   
  
//Maybe everyone has spoken the truth and Master Jinn did not leave me for Anakin. Maybe I should have opened the bond and given him a chance. Now it is too late. I am stuck here with Vos or admit to the council, Master Qui-Gon, and the healers that I basically lied to them all. I know exactly what happened to our bond. I would have to admit to them that it was me that broke our training bond and nothing magnanimously mysterious!! I think Quinlan already knows or suspects that. It may only be a manner of time before he *rats* on me, especially if I keep giving him so much grief!!//   
  
He said nothing and hoped Quinlan Vos did not expect him too.   
  
Obi-Wan did not raise his gaze from his lap until he heard the door to Quinlan's apartment shut.............   
  
PEACE ewen   
  
I can think of one other that might be stir crazy and go into the city for refreshment of an adult kind. Well maybe two people, Qui, Xani. Ani is a bit young and I think Obi is afraid to move from his spot sooooo…….   
  
If I was a betting person, [and I am not] I would bet Quinlan might just meet up with one or the other, or possibly both and just maybe from lack of missions it wouldn't be hard to imagine a bar room brawl!!!!   
  
L.A.T.E.R. 


	5. From One Drunken Jedi To Another, My Sab...

Because of the seemingly lack of interest I will probably not post as much anymore!?!  
  
Maybe "Kyer" is right, [hats of to you], my characters are too extreme to be enjoyable. Anyway I had another post ready for this week before I went for a short spring break, however I will not post it just yet!!! ewen  
  
########################  
  
  
  
The Coruscant pub really hadn't changed much since the last time Quinlan had been there. He wondered why he hadn't thought of getting away from the temple before, in the past two weeks. The past boring two weeks that he had been held captive at the temple where no one aside from a little padawan cared if he was there or not.   
  
//And to make matters worse, that little Jedi who has become dependant on me is my former master's present apprentice. //  
  
Quinlan shook his head. He'd only had two drinks but still his mental thoughts didn't make sense to him and he had to *rethink* them again.   
  
//Yeah, that's right, my former master's apprentice or he should be if things were as they should be. I wonder how long it is going to take the kid to figure out his master isn't as bad as he thinks Qui-Gon is. HUH…… Well no master could be as bad as that holoview had Jinn made out to be.. still though…. //  
  
His thoughts were interrupted when he felt the presence of another force sensitive, one familiar to him.   
  
He looked down the length of the bar and there stood, Xanatos Crion.   
  
Crion might have felt Quinlan's presence at almost the same time because when Quin looked down the bar, Crion's ebony dark orbs stared right back.   
  
Another fifteen minutes passed and Crion's two drinks to the one Quinlan still nursed before Xanatos Crion made a decision to break the silence. Quinlan didn't have to look over to see Xani inching his way down the bar, he felt him. He only looked up when he felt the hot breath of Xanatos right up against his face. He also smelled the strong pungent odor of Corellian whiskey; so strong it could wake the dead.   
  
Quinlan looked up from his drink, fanned the front of his face to disperse the odor of alcohol and finally let his eyes glide over the other knight, from head to toe.   
  
He allowed his gaze to totally sweep Xanatos before he turned his undivided attention back to the almost empty glass of rum with a spash of lime.   
  
"Shouldn't you be back at the temple playing nursemaid to your 'Chosen One', or caring for our master, who must be in dire straits by now, over his little padawan lost."   
  
"My padawan is with my former master as we speak or he will be. He is most capable of caring for himself in our own quarters while I am away. However, I would think with your little charge, it is quite different. Who did you find to baby sit Kenobi while you wormed your way here, to *drink*?"   
  
"Not that it is any of your business, but I didn't necessarily come here to drink. I prefer the company here to the stiff collared Jedi at the temple, yourself included. I don't need to drink to drown my woes. I don't have any. If I choose to leave the temple, I can. As for Obi-Wan, he is more than capable of taking a bath alone. In fact it might surprise you to know he does it every night alone, without any assistance from me. Heck, I don't even have to turn the covers down for him or read him a beddie by story. Can you say that about Skywalker? Oh, I forgot he is so high maintenance, he requires two masters to do all that for him…."   
  
Quinlan grunted into his drink with a lop-sided smile on his face over his own sarcastic humor. His eyes remained on his drink as he swirled it around to mix the rum with the melted ice which had separated from the alcohol and settled in the bottom of the glass.   
  
This time Xanatos released his anger for the despicable Vos into the force. After all, he'd only had two drinks and he could handle a little mouth from Jinn's first apprentice; the one deep down Xani felt Jinn always compared him too.   
  
//Whether the old man will admit to it and he won't, Qui idolized Quinlan Vos. He's so much like him, I think it scared Qui-Gon .//  
  
####back at the temple####   
  
Obi-Wan had not meant to disobey his guardian, Quinlan Vos. As he prepared for bed, he prepared for break-fast the next morning, as well. It was then he discovered they were all out of milk, an important ingredient for cereal. He had wanted to make sure there was something in the pantry he could fix that wouldn't walk away from him. Cereal had always been his first choice of nourishment in the mornings. Master Jinn, not a break-fast person himself, allowed Obi-Wan the freedom to choose and make his own first-meal.   
  
If I let Knight Vos fix my meal it might be road-kill or something very nearly dead he found along the road home from Coruscant.////   
  
With that thought in mind, Obi set out to the commissary kitchen to place and order for milk. He planned to get it and then go straight back to where he should be, to his and Vos' shared quarters.   
  
Obi-Wan often found trouble in some of the oddest places and the commissary kitchen was about to be his next odd place to run into it; trouble in the form of Anakin Skywalker…….   
  
###With Xanatos and Quinlan###   
  
"Listen Quinlan if you are trying to goad me into a fight, it won't work. I am up above fighting out in public. If you want a fight, let's take it to the training salles, back at the temple. We will see who the better Jedi is there."   
  
"Tsk tsk, that comment alone makes me a better Jedi. How unbecoming of you to be so vain to presume you are better than I. ME…..well I just don't care. If I am going to fight, it will be over something a lot more important that finding out something I already know; whom the better swordsman is. Why test the blatantly obvious. I have never heard of you being sent out to do anything at all in the way of dangerous unless you have your big bad Master Jinn along with you. Now isn't that right? Could it be the council also knows who the *better* Jedi is? You my friend couldn't hold a candle to my talents. I don't need to show you, I just know, just as the council just knows and more than likely just as our master does as well. He just won't admit it..''   
  
Xani looked down at his drink then picked it up, drained the glass empty to the last drop, slammed it back on the bar and ordered another, no, another double. He thought he had better control than to allow his outer appearance to belie what he felt inside, but as usual for Xanatos he was so wrong. He never was a person who tolerated being taunted and certainly wasn't going to tolerate it from the likes of this //" tattooed freak. "//  
  
"You have me in one department Xanatos. You could probably drink me under a table. There, I gave you credit for something you can do better than me. Now let's quit this pettiness. I came here to enjoy the music, the drink, and the company. You are not part of any of those because quite frankly Xanatos Crion, I don't enjoy your company and I never have."   
  
back at the temple.###   
  
Obi-Wan had only waited five minutes for a droid to come to the window of the kitchen commissary and take his order for a half gallon of skim milk. He waited patiently while the droid closed the window back as if he thought Obi might dive through it when his back was turned.   
  
Up behind him, Padawan Kenobi heard someone whistling. He knew instantly who that someone was, Anakin Skywalker. He often whistled a stupid little tune when he practiced his katas and now evidently when he roamed the temple halls at midnight thought Obi-Wan.   
  
###Quin/Xan###   
  
A tall green being from one of the outer worlds recognized Quinlan as an old friend, a Jedi who had done dealings on his home world.   
  
"Quinlan…. Quinlan Vos How are you? Good to see a familiar face around here, especially a friendly familiar face."   
  
The green figure easily stood three inches taller than Master Jinn. He sauntered up to the bar and pushed himself between Xanatos and Quinlan. He had heard bits of the argument or discussion between the two Jedi. It surprised him to hear two Jedi in a heated discussion about their force powered abilities and saber usage. Well it surprised him that Crion engaged in it, nothing about Quinlan Vos surprised him. He got the distinct feeling that there could be an eruption of an all out fist-to-cuffs at any moment. He wanted to be there right in the middle. He liked a good fight. One between two Jedi should be interesting, he thought and besides if Quinlan needed any help, he planned to be right there to give it. Vos had settled an extremely potential explosive land dispute on his world and in doing so, allowed his people to avoid a nasty civil war.   
  
//Yes, if Quinlan Vos needs my help, I plan to give it and as much of it as he needs. //  
  
The tall lanky green being from the outer rim had more than the two Jedi combined in drinks, very strong drinks.   
  
#######   
  
What brings you here Kenobi? Vos got you running his errands for him? I suppose he didn't know how to fill out the acquisition slip for food rations. Lived in the wilderness too long. Am I right. It is a wonder he speaks intelligibly. Well he does doesn't he? I myself haven't seen him around much."   
  
Obi-Wan clenched his fists and locked his jaws. He would not be put into a situation where he actually fought with the chosen one. One thing he didn't want was to alienate his master more and another thing he didn't want was to rock the boat with Quinlan. He was his last hope until as he hoped he could, work things out with his master. He liked staying with the big Jedi knight even if he was just a touch intimidating.   
  
Obi-Wan did not turn from the commissary window. He spoke to Anakin with his back turned. He didn't want him to see the pink hue Obi knew must cover his face right about now. He was hot under the collar and that heat had worked its way up his face. He could almost feel the blotchy red spots that formed on his neck and face. He always got them when he tried to control his anger, instead of releasing it into the force as he had been taught by his master.   
  
"Knight Vos has gone out for the evening. I am here to get some milk and as soon as I get it I will be on my way."   
  
//Thank you very much, now just keep you yap shut so I can get back to the apartment without trouble. I certainly don't need any more trouble with Knight Vos or Master Jinn.//   
  
"Safe *out* isn't it? Poor little Obi confused over his master's loyalty, where they lay. I can tell you and you won't be confused any more. Maybe that film was doctored up. Maybe Master Jinn was never given the choice of which of us to save. However, I will tell you this, had he been given a choice between the two of us do you doubt for a second who he would have chosen? I certainly don't."   
  
Anakin wanted a response and stood there longer than was necessary to wait for one. He was not going to get even one word from Obi-Wan. The other apprentice knew Anakin was up to something and he figured it was to start a fight. Obi would not fall for that, or so he thought.   
  
"I mean me, the 'Chosen One' over you… little clumsy you who can't possibly become as infamous as a Jedi as I will. You, who evidently forgot to grow because… because…just look at you *Shrimp*. Oh well no mind. There isn't anyone in the temple who doesn't know who Master Jinn would have chosen had he been given that option, or put into that position. That might be why no one seems to be in a rush to set you straight. The healers haven't even bothered with trying to convince you of Master Qui-Gon sir's loyalty to you, have they?"   
  
Anakin waited again for a long period of time, as if he actually thought Obi would lower himself to answer such an absurd question. The sad thing about that question as the silence between them grew and Obi thought about it, was that Obi didn't truly know the answer to it. Not with any certainty that he could respond to Anakin with his own fiery retort.   
  
Obi only grew more crimson with anger. He couldn't figure out how Anakin knew the healers had not worked with him in a true attempt to convince him Master Jinn had not betrayed him. They said it would come in time.. What was truth, thought Obi? Even if the holoview wasn't real, which apprentice would his master have chosen.   
  
//The healers haven't really worked with me to convince me of Jinn's loyalty to me. Has master spoken of that to Anakin and Xanatos . I am the big joke in the Crion quarters, possibly in the entire temple. Maybe that is why they don't care if I stay with Vos. Maybe everyone here would like nothing better if Vos took me back to the outer rim and stayed there for another five years or so. That would be getting me out of my master's hair so he could have more time to help Crion train this 'Chosen One'.//   
  
Obi-Wan had come a long way in that short year of training under Master Jinn. Yes, he did have a lot of anger to work through and sith knows, he spent a lot of time on his knees in meditation. Master Qui-Gon had told him just before all this happened that he had become quite good at controlling his anger. Now this, thought Obi. He was convinced his master had spoken about him and in not too kind of light while he wasn't around.   
  
//Maybe I *AM* the brunt of every joke in the Crion apartment.//   
  
Little did Obi-Wan know that what gossip Anakin got about Obi's visits to the healers was supplied him by the one friend he had, padawan healer, Bruck Chun.   
  
"Look Ani just back off. I don't need you to make any more trouble for me."   
  
" Now that is an understatement if I ever heard one. Of course you don't need me to make trouble, you do enough of that on you own."   
  
Obi-Wan knew before he said it, not too, knew it wasn't a nice thing to say, but hey sometimes a teen going through puberty, even a Jedi teen says things that aren't nice and shouldn't have been said.   
  
"Got give you credit Anakin for someone who has been a lowly slave all his life, you certainly have come up in the world in your knowledge and out of the gutter."   
  
There it was. Obi-Wan had hit a sore spot from Ani's past life, his slavery. He knew as soon as he said it, it was a cruel thing to repeat. He instantly regretted it. The regret came too late.   
  
Anakin grabbed Obi-Wan by the arm, swung him around, and let his fist make contact with the other Jedi's face, precisely his nose, before Obi had time to explain how truly sorry he was.   
  
Obi *was* sorry until Anakin landed the blow. All his feelings of sympathy for Anakin ceased and was reverted back to himself. All he could think of as he righted himself first from being flat on the floor, up to his still wobbly knees, was how much he must resemble the piece of bloody bantha steak he had for last-meal. Obi-Wan also had the dripping blood oozing from him; from his broken nose.   
  
Now it was his turn to retaliate. It had gone too far to draw back and release his anger.. Well too late anyway to release it into the force. Obi-Wan planned to release his anger directly at Anakin Skywalker, //just as soon as I can see again and pick myself up off the floor…//   
  
PEACE ewen   
  
##Meanwhile, back at the pub with Crion and Vos, the two knights appear to be about to start their own tit-for tat.#### 


	6. Does Obi want to be QGJ's padawan?

"You know Quinlan; I have had enough of your mouth. Got anything to back up your words?"   
  
Quin watched at the younger knight downed another double. Clearly Crion had lost all of his Jedi inhibitions with the last drink, Knight Vos thought. Maybe it was time to back off.   
  
//I don't particularly care if he gets in trouble but it would not look very good with one of my diplomatic senators from the outer rim to see me in a common day bar brawl. Nope, I guess I should help Jinn's former apprentice, my brother of sorts, back to the temple.//   
  
Quin stepped toward the knight. Xanatos took it as a threat or a challenge. He hopped off the bar stool, swung his right fist as hard as he good and was a little shocked when that swing missed. He did a 360 degree turn and had to grab the stool to keep from falling.   
  
"Knight Crion, if you have finished making a donkey of yourself. Let's go back to the temple so you can sleep it off."   
  
"I am not inebriated Quin. You think anyone who stands their own with you is drunk or crazy."   
  
The green hued being sipped his drink once more, before he responded to the question for Quinlan from Xanatos.   
  
"They have to be drunk or crazy to mess with this Jedi. You would think being a Jedi knight yourself you would know that. Put it this way Knight *Whatever-Your-Name Is*, if you aren't drunk, maybe you should get that way."   
  
He took another drink but didn't feel the need to waste his time to look at Xanatos.   
  
The drunken knight was now livid. However he was not drunk or livid enough to start a fight with a dignitary even if that diplomat was from one of the more barbaric planets on the outer rim. The Jedi council and Chancellor Valorum would be on his back if he did.   
  
Xanatos Crion would soon learn his problem was not with the green diplomat or Quinlan Vos for that matter. Up from behind him without warning a heavy hand landed a judo-like chop across the back of his neck. The stunned Jedi could not reel around to see who the bearer of that stunning blow was. He was too dizzy from the drink and blow itself to do anything but weave back and forth. Quinlan however had not had that much to drink and no one had yet to give him a cheap shot like Xani had just received. His faculties or most of them were intact. He wasn't sure who this massive rotund man who attacked Xanatos and it really didn't matter at least to him. He instantly went on the defensive prepared to do the same to the man as he had done to the other Jedi, Crion. One thing Quinlan Vos would never do is stand by and let a fellow Jedi be accosted even, if it was Jinn's former apprentice.   
  
Vos walked over to the man very quietly. He didn't even know Vos was there. A tap on his massive shoulder, Crion's attacker turned around and when he did he met the fist of Quinlan Vos that sent him reeling across the room and over a pool table………..   
  
There was only problem with that as Quinlan Vos slapped his hands together as if the wipe the man's order from them, he felt the old two familiar tap to his shoulder. The rogue Jedi, always so meticulous in his diplomacy and the battles he chose, hadn't taken time to assess the situation around him. If he had, he would have realized the rotund attacker of Crion's was not alone in that bar. Vos was just about to find that out in a very violent, painful way; similar to how Crion found out the man was not happy with him.   
  
###At the temple the council in a meeting###   
  
Mace made a quick sweep of the room. He eyed very carefully each face of the four who had been in fights.   
  
//Looks like Vos came out on top in the battle he was in.// The bald master shook his head in agreement with his own words. //Yes definitely, Crion took the most bodily damage at the pub.// And while Obi's nose is two sizes bigger than it normally is, those two shiners on Anakin aren't as likely to fade away too quickly. They seem about even. He didn't take the time to look at Jinn, who he knew just through the air around him was angered beyond belief.   
  
After his quick survey of the battered group, Mace dropped his eyes and covered them and his face with his broad hand. He didn't know if he should be angry or upset. He was a council master after all. But Qui-Gon was his friend, his former crèche mate, his comrade during his entire life at the temple.   
  
Now Jinn was being brought up before the seated council masters in a not so good light for the big Jedi. All his prodigies were with him. His first apprentice Quinlan Vos, second one, Xanatos Crion, his present or so should be present apprentice, Obi-Wan Kenobi and lastly his surrogate apprentice through Xani, Anakin Skywalker.   
  
Qui-Gon was the only one that did not have a bruised and blood streaked face. There was a good reason for that. Qui-Gon hadn't been in any brawl. Mace Windu shook his head with his hand still over his face as he thought that was the only redeeming factor in all this; Jinn's ability to stay out of a fight, either one of them.   
  
There was another reason Mace kept his head down. He had no wish to let his eyes wonder over to Yoda or his to him. They had just gone through a very heated disagreement in Yoda private office before they met with the other council masters. This meeting now with the guilty parties, the four was the result of a previous council meeting to hash through the details and come up with a solution. However, the meeting he had in private with Yoda was not council privileged and Mace was astounded at what was discussed with him then.   
  
Before either of the meetings, the one with just the council and now with the guilty parties in front of them, the council Master, Yoda delivered a scathing reprimand of the dark Jedi. Mace thought Yoda's wise solution to the problem was too far fetched, off the wall, and just plain dangerous and he did not hesitate to say so.   
  
Mace, in the privacy of Yoda's office hinted to the old master that he favored Jinn too much, was willing to go as far as was necessary to show him the way. Mace didn't think Obi-wan should be put up like a lamb going to slaughter just to prove a point to Qui. He really was concern for Qui-Gon but equally concerned for the thirteen-year-old Yoda insisted would be temporarily teamed up with Quinlan Vos.   
  
It wasn't the specificity of the mission because there was no special one. Just the idea of taking a young Jedi, back to the den of inequity, back to the outer rim to an as of yet unnamed and most certainly untamed planet.   
  
Mace could be assured just by its location, it's backward barbarianism could be possibly deadly to the a mere child padawan that to date had never been sent to the outer rim with his master just to see what it was like.. To make matters worse, they would go 'covert" undercover.   
  
Easy enough for Quin, Mace had thought, but a first year padawan not trained under the rough edged knight but under the precise and to the letter of the Jedi mantra, Qui-Gon Jinn, the task of spending time on one of the outer worlds would be nearly impossible.   
  
What ever Qui-Gon had done to step on the toes of the council during a mission had never been exposed or encouraged by Jinn to his apprentice. Any planet in the outer rim was normally not a place a master took a first year apprentice and in this case Vos was not Obi's master with no mental connection should they become separated.   
  
Now before him and the rest of the council masters stood the four guilty parties and their master of all of them at one time or of sorts, Qui-Gon Jinn. He waited for the arguing to begin. Mace Windu knew Qui-Gon would have violent objections to his apprentice going with his former one and on such a deadly mission.   
  
Mace unshielded his eyes with his hand and looked up at all of them He wanted to see Jinn's reaction for he certainly knew he would have no trouble hearing the irate master and possibly knight Quin when Yoda handed down his instructions,   
  
//Punishment really, torture maybe in Quinlan's case when he finds out he has a temporary padawan on a mission, a potentially dangerous one at that,// thought Mace. It was handily approved by all council members but one, himself…  
  
It was the first time in his life Quinlan was stunned out of words. He wished there had been some place to sit and that he was allowed to do so. . He was up in front of the council in a battle with himself to regain his composure, composure very seldom lost even when he faced the enemy was very nearly visible to those around him now.   
  
People like Jinn who had held a bond with him, if they felt a light juggle through the force would realize it was Quin's hard exterior. It was cracking, had cracked with the punishment leveled against him. //That is what it is unprecedented and unwarranted punishment for a little brawl and I was protecting one of their own. Qui-Gon is the reason for all of this but oh no not one word will be said to the great Master Jinn.// If he couldn't find a place to get over the shock of his *sentence*, he thought the least he could do was object to it.   
  
He swallowed the lump in his throat that had very nearly cut off oxygen and his ability to speak. His mouth had suddenly become like cotton. He licked his lips in an attempt to create more salvia. A drink… Yes a drink would be nice but it was hardly likely he could be excused from the council masters presence to get water, no matter how bad he needed it.   
  
"Wait.. Masters. I am not ready to take on an apprentice. I don't' wish to impede on my former master's progress with his apprentice."   
  
"Impede his progress bother you it seemed not to when you arrived. Bother you now it should not. Healers say the boy should have time away from his master and away he will be … with you, under your care, and in your hands he will be until return from the Outer Quadrant five you both do.   
  
//Return to the temple. What is that little troll doing? I never return. I just go from one planet to another one mission to where ever I am needed. It is unusual that I am here now. //  
  
Jinn stepped up. While he and Obi's bond was not there as it should be, he couldn't allow the boy to come to harm. Unless or until the force or the council masters deemed it so Obi, was still his apprentice .   
  
"Masters if Obi-Wan should spend more time away from each other without the chance of seeing one another, I will not question the wisdom of the healers. However I wish to ask that is I who is sent on a mission. Xanatos is more than capable of training his own apprentice and Obi-Wan can remain here with Master Windu if Quinlan has no desire to be bothered with him any longer. And if it is as you say he is needed back where he belongs."   
  
Quin glanced over at Obi-Wan just in time to see a twinge, a slight shrugging of his shoulder.   
  
//There Jinn did it again, made the boy feel unwanted by everyone. //  
  
Quinlan wanted to in someone salvage Obi's feelings that he knew right now must be crushed by everyone's speedy shuffling of him back and forth.   
  
"Excuse me, I didn't say Obi was a bother, he isn't, but the outer rim is a dangerous place."   
  
Quinlan truly wanted to find a way out of this without making Obi-Wan feel a bother to anyone.   
  
Obi-Wan already felt that way. The thought of staying under the scrutiny of his master's best friend Mace Windu was unbearable."   
  
Obi-Wan unabashedly stepped forward and interrupted all the adults. Plo Koon started to object to his interruption but one tap with the gimer stick caused him to hold his silence.   
  
"Masters, I am sorry. If I have become a burden to Quin, I mean Knight Vos I never meant too. If I have become an embarrassment to my own master, I certainly didn't intend that, as for Master Mace well. I know he sides in everything my master says or does. I don't know the fairness of sending me to him. If I am that much trouble I request that I be allowed to go to the Agricorps and work until this can be resolved by the council along with my master."   
  
Obi-Wan didn't dare look at Yoda, Qui-Gon or Vos. He felt somehow betrayed by Quinlan's words. Not that he should have believed there was any connection between he and the long haired Jedi, he only hoped….!?!   
  
//What is the boy thinking. He won't survive there. He can't be allowed to go. //  
  
Jinn had thoughts and concerns for Obi-Wan as well and they mirrored Vos'. No one said a word. Instead they waited for Yoda's reply.   
  
Yoda nodded his head as if to agree with the boy. Quin and Qui both stepped up to object but they didn't have to..   
  
"One specific mission this is not to be. Need the Jedi in outer rim Chancellor Valorum has stated. Too long gone Vos has been. His presence stops intimidation by more powerful planets to lesser ones. Needed he is and return he will. With Obi-Wan or without him return you must. Made-up mission contrary to Master Windu's speculations, this is not. Came directly from the senate floor and the Chancellor's mouth it did. Go to Bandomeer, allow the young padawan I will, if Quinlan Vos refuses to take him as his responsibility he does."   
  
"Master Yoda please. I hate to admit it but I agree with Qui… Master Jinn. Going with me is far too dangerous for him without his master. Also, I would be leery of taking him on such a mission, any mission on any planet in the outer rim. Surely the council can see their lack of wisdom in all this. I am sorry but I just can't allow the boy to go with me. I do not want that burden of an apprentice yet, ever how temporary it is."   
  
" Jedi council's wisdom this is not. Wisdom of head master, me, it is. So now, say you Quin what it should be; alone on Bandomeer with no one or under your care is young Obi-Wan to be? Decision yours it solely is."   
  
Quinlan frantically tried to avoid the sad blue puppy eyes of Jinn's apprentice. However, it was in vain. He chanced one darting look over at the pathetic little waif of a Jedi and knew he was hooked by the gravity of the meaning behind that forlorn distant stare right at him by Jinn's apprentice. In that instance he knew.….   
  
//If Yoda is too stubborn to change his decision to send Obi to Bandomeer, I will have no choice but to change mine…//  
  
Obi sat on the transport ship. Quinlan Vos had relented on his adamant refusal to take Obi-Wan went him when he returned to the treacherous outer rim. He finally agreed to take the boy with him. It was not done as Obi-Wan would have wished, but he did get his wish, a reprieve from being sent to the Agricorps. As for Master Jinn, he still wasn't sure what to think of their bond, the bond Obi-Wan kept tightly locked up. The healers had begun to suspect it was Jinn and not something magical that kept their bond broken. They never once even suspected it could be a first year apprentice who put a wedge in the bond between he and his master.   
  
//If they knew the truth, I might just be on the transport ship to Bandomeer rather than with Knight Vos. I suppose I should be glad any Jedi master or knight agreed to take me as confused as I have become lately. //  
  
One lone tear dripped down the boy's hot cheek as they lifted off with Qui-Gon there to watch and Anakin along side of him. It was if the other apprentice came only as a reminder to Obi-Wan that now Qui-Gon would be spending his time that should be used with Obi-Wan on him. Qui-Gon's apprentice wasn't sure that is what Anakin was there for, but that was his jealous forged assumption. .   
  
Padawan Kenobi hoped he wiped away the tear before anyone especially his guardian; Knight Vos had time to see it. He had already elicited enough sympathy with his actions in the council chambers. Because of that pathetic display he put on in front of the council, the knight had changed his mind and now Obi-Wan regretted applying that woe be gone act on Vos to get him take him. Although Obi was sure Vos knew as well as he did, it wasn't an act.   
  
//I had too though. I couldn't really go to the Agricorps I might be forgotten. Face it Kenobi that is not the only reason. Afraid, yes I was afraid of being sent and left on Bandomeer, but I was fearful of being alone. Alone, though I am still alone I guess, though I know as a Jedi, Quin will be obligated to take care of me. I just wish he didn't see it that way. I wish *I* wasn't an obligation. //  
  
Quinlan was too busy grumbling about too many outer rim passengers on the ship. When a ship was overcrowded with such collage of seedy characters, one could never be sure what would happen. Leave your seat for a minute it gets taken by the standing room only crowd. A fight usually broke out more than once over some trivial thing. Maybe a passenger brought food and the one that didn't is hungry. Things like that really irked the young knight.   
  
Quin wanted to say something that would soothe the boy's insecurities, but what? Being out on the many worlds around the many who would just as soon kill him as look at him the young knight had become almost less than human in some aspect, compassion was one of those human feelings not made room for by Quin. He fought to stay alive most of the time. Little else, compassion, friendship, anything a knight should be allowed in their life wasn't in his life.   
  
Vos opened his knapsack and pulled out two sandwiches. Obi smelled the food, remembered he hadn't eaten, and there were those who say food can soothe whatever ails you. He looked over and the first thing the thought about was the fact that nothing between the two slices of bread was moving.   
  
//Always a good sign with Quin. With him you never know.// Obi relaxed a little. Obi took the gesture of the shared food as a way to show his concern and for Vos it was.   
  
"Here you need to eat. You have barely touched food today, throughout our wait for the transport. Boy it was a wait wasn't it?"   
  
//There,// thought Vos. //That wasn't so bad.// He actually liked talking to this one but when he wanted the conversation stopped, he thought it should stop immediately. NO, Vos hadn't learned to actually live around another in close proximity. //And it definitely will take some getting use too. //  
  
Obi-Wan accepted the sandwich Vos gently pressed toward him, but without letting his gaze meet Quin's. Vos very much wanted to see the look on his little companion's face to gage the level of misery he felt. Quinn already knew through the force that Obi-Wan Kenobi suffered a great deal of anguish but too be sure he wanted to see Obi's overly expressive eyes.……….   
  
The kind gesture of shared sandwiches and juice quelled Obi's fears a little. It was enough for now because it had to be…………………………….   
  
##### On the planet Ramis.######   
  
"Store your gear in that little bedroom. I will set up a cot in there later."   
  
Obi-Wan brushed past a stack of dirty clothing, then sidestepped a pile of data pads only to find himself at the opened doorway of the most disheveled room imaginable. A lumpy bed on the floor, in the corner with its covers probably never out of its rumpled condition. There was one rickety old dresser with a piece of a mirror. Obi expected to find the rest of it in a corner,// maybe under that other bunch of dirty clothes. //  
  
'Yes, I know it isn't much, sure not what you are accustomed too back at the temple, but while I am here this is home. Credits don't' grow on trees you know. Besides it provides a roof over my head, a place to sleep and eat and of course to work away my hours on those data pads. That is something I need to do right away so if you will just put your things away and make yourself busy. I know you, having lived with Jinn are probably a neat freak so have at it. I doubt you will run out of things to do before I do. "   
  
Obi-Wan swallowed hard, let out a long low groan, and hoped Vos didn't notice the misery in that groan.   
  
//He was an apprentice to Master Jinn and he isn't a neat freak. What makes him think I am? I don't' like to clean but boy I don't know if I can live here in this mess. //  
  
Vos seemed to know Obi's line of thought.   
  
"Don't worry kid you will get use to it. Or clean it one. Now you get busy on the "house work". I have things to do."   
  
All day dreams of a wild mission, or investigations of some dynamic proportions out on the outer rim was stifled by the reality that he had just become a maid……   
  
Three hours later Obi-Wan had to admit if only to himself that he had made a difference in their tiny little quarters.   
  
He tackled preparing last-meal with all the enthusiasm a thirteen-year old could have about such a task. He could make cereal really well, popped frozen food in the micro, and could spread peanut butter over a big dollop of jelly but the entire preparation of last-meal was something different.   
  
Quinlan sat down, tucked his napkin under his chin, and dug into what was suppose to be food. Two bites into the burnt meat, undercook tubers, and the knight just put his fork down. Not a word was spoken as he got went and drew out several choice selections of fruit from the cooler.   
  
//Well, he shouldn't be so rude. I ate his pathetic food. The least he could do was pertained he could stomach mine. //  
  
"I suppose Master Jinn hadn't gotten around to training you how to cook."   
  
There was nothing angry about the knight but nothing nice either, direct and to the point thought Obi.   
  
"He must have surely overlooked your training in that department as well. Of course I was polite enough to attempt to eat what you cooked of in your case, didn't cook."   
  
Vos had just pulled out the juice container and had taken a big swig out of it. Obi made a mental note not to drink from that container. A wisp of a smile formed on the knight's face but it disappeared before he swirled around to face his little charge. Obi was afraid maybe he had made the knight angry. But hey two could play that game……   
  
"I see you haven't learn that subservient attitude all little Jedi have."   
  
"I beg to differ I have learned to it but I see no reason to use it if you are not going to do the same."   
  
"Listen child, I do what I want and when. You, on the other hand are in training to be a Jedi knight one day. I suggest you do as you are instructed if you expect to become a knight."   
  
Obi was tired. He had worked like a horse for three hours and was in no mood to be reprimanded by this knight who his master didn't think worthy to wipe his boots on.   
  
"Why, you didn't buckle under the Jedi mantra and you have made it haven't you? Except in your master's eyes."   
  
Ouch that hurt, Obi didn't realize under his cold exterior, Quin was only a person, a Jedi knight who wanted to be respected most by his master but in Qui-Gon's eyes had never gotten it.   
  
Point made and taken Kenobi. Now finish eating and clean up the mess you made in the kitchen. Make sure you throw that junk out you fixed for food when you are finished. The stray cats around here might enjoy it more than I did."   
  
Vos hadn't meant to sound so angry .He wasn't angry really. Obi triggered thoughts of him and Jinn that Vos had buried and hoped to keep that way.   
  
//Leave it to the boy to bold face hit my problems right on the head. I must be letting my true self show. Something I don't like to do and will make sure I don't' continue to do. //  
  
Quin walked outside with the orange juice carton in hand. He was thinking about the boy he left inside to do all Vos' chores. He could hear mumblings under Obi's breath; he just couldn't make out what the boy was saying.   
  
//He's more like me than Jinn would like him to be. I knew there was something I liked about this feisty little Kenobi. //  
  
###########################  
  
Thank You for your comments!!!!  
  
PEACE ewen 


	7. Obi opens his eyes, QGJ closes his and h...

###TEN LONG MONTHS LATER####  
  
"Quin, do you think I look alright?"   
  
Quin Vos had his back turned to the boy who spoke to him, Obi-Wan Kenobi, his ward for the last ten months. Most would have thought for Vos that it had been long painful months in the company of a fourteen year old, but it wasn't. Quin shut his eyes as if to shut out the real possibility that Qui-Gon just might take Obi-Wan from him now.   
  
He tried not to let his shortness show in his words. He wasn't upset with Obi-Wan, but with the situation they were all in.   
  
"Don't ask me again Kenobi, or I will hang you from the ceiling for your disobedience, and that is where Master Jinn will find you."   
  
Obi only smiled. He was never afraid of Knight Vos. Where others cringed at the sight of him, even those Jedi master and apprentice pairs that came to the outer rim, Obi knew a Knight Quinlan Vos that no one else knew.   
  
"Yes sir, Knight Vos, sir. Now, do I look alright or not?"   
  
"Fine, fine, aside from your hair being too long, and you are totally out of Jedi apprentice clothing, anyone would recognize you as the old Obi-Wan Kenobi; the one that should be back at the temple studying to be a Jedi."   
  
Even as he said it, he didn't want to believe it. His companion of almost a year might possibly be going back to the temple. It had not been decided if it would be with Master Jinn, but some master would take and train Obi-Wan Kenobi.   
  
"Well the council has decided it is time to go back and you seem think it is a wise idea. I guess there is no one else to ask."   
  
"Obi felt along the force, felt a nudge of pain and he knew where and why it was there. He felt it too at times. Obi would miss Quin and Quin would no doubt miss him, No, not //that the supposedly self-reliant codger would admit to it, but I know he likes me, likes my company.//   
  
"What about you Vos? Don't you think you should have a say in this?"   
  
"Why? The council wrangled me into taking you. It's not as if I wanted you with me. It was a duty placed on me by the council and that's all. I have kept you alive, fed, and a roof over your head, nothing more. I am nothing to you Kenobi, as you are nothing to me."   
  
"I don't believe you Quin."   
  
Quin Vos whirled around and angrily stomped over to where Obi stood.   
  
He grabbed Obi-Wan roughly by the arm.   
  
"You are wrong Kid. You are nothing to me and never have been. Now get yourself all prettied up for your master then clean our cabin. You want your master to think we live like the Tabord people around us."   
  
His actions were not like those Obi-Wan had grown accustomed too.. However he overlooked them for Obi knew what caused Vos to act so totally unlike himself..   
  
//I think Quin hates to see me go, at least a little. I may not. Maybe now that Master Jinn knows I was the one to block the bond, he won't want me back. I know that Master Yoda told Qui-Gon that even when I knew the truth as to what happened with the doctored tape, I still refused to open our bond. //  
  
Obi shook his head over his stupidity, but never really believed his master would refuse to take him back. He had such high hopes for his and Master Jinn's reuniting this afternoon.   
  
###Later That Day###   
  
Knight Vos and his ward, Obi-Wan Kenobi watched the little ship that carried Master Jinn, land. He stepped off the ship first. Quinlan didn't really expect another person to step from it. He assumed the droid pilot would park the ship at the landing port and wait for Master Jinn and if he decided to go, Obi-Wan, to go back to Coruscant.   
  
Nothing surprised Quinlan more than the sight of Xanatos Crion and unbelievable to his eyes, Anakin Skywalker, the reason for Obi's lack of confidence.   
  
If he was surprised, then you might describe Obi as being floored. He did not expect his master to bring with him the one person who caused their split in the first place..   
  
//Alright, I caused the problem. I broke the bond. I was under too much pressure competing with the *Chosen One*. Now that I have confessed to that, I never presumed Master would bring the *brat* with him.//   
  
Quin saw the distraught m look on Obi's face and immediately and compassionately gave his shoulder a squeeze. The knight leaned over and whispered in Obi's ear.   
  
"It is alright Obi, I am sure there is a reason "they" had to come."   
  
Jinn noticed Obi's distress over Anakin Skywalker's presence and the crudeness of Vos to whisper in his presence. He shot Vos a, knowing glare because of his rudeness.   
  
"You may wonder why Ani is with me Obi-Wan. Since I have learned it was at your edict that our bond was fettered, and the reason for it, I felt I should bring that *reason* with me. I know and understand in the beginning you feared what was shown to you, a tape forfeiting your life for Anakin's but we are pass that. You have admitted to the soul healers and the council that you understood that tape was doctored to deceive you.. What you also admitted was that you knew before you were sent with Knight Vos that the tape was not real. Your reason for the continued shielding from me was jealousy of Ani. You refused to open our bond because of your uncertainty of your abilities as an apprentice. You were not sure you could compete against the *Chosen One*. With such selfish and childish reason behind your deviousness in stifling our bond, I am not at all sure that I will allow it to be reinstated. That is why I informed the council to instruct you not to open it. I have shut my side down. To reopen and close the bond should I decide we can not be master and apprentice would be painful for me but unbearable for you."   
  
There was no kindness in Master Jinn's face, no sign that he was the least bit pleased to see his apprentice, Obi-Wan Kenobi again. His words were drawn out, accented with a curt tone. A tone that anyone would recognize as having a condemnation to them and that condemnation could only be directed at one person, Obi-Wan.   
  
There….. what needed to be said by the Jedi master had been said. Jinn had long been apprehensive about the idea of stating how he felt but he said it, first thing right off the ship.   
  
Quin balanced Obi with a grip right at his elbow. He knew Jinn's words devastated the boy and they had certainly taken Quin by surprise. Master Jinn might actually refuse to take Obi-Wan back as his apprentice. Quin could not fathom the reasoning behind Jinn's harsh declaration.   
  
Xanatos remained silent, almost as if detached from the entire situation. However, Knight Vos and Obi, both could not help but notice the self-satisfied smirk on Padawan Skywalker's face. That look on Ani's face told a very sad tale for *FORMER* apprentice, Obi-Wan Kenobi.Obi-Wan pushed the food around on his plate. Normally it would be at this point that his guardian and new found friend, Quinlan Vos would interrupt Obi's amusement with his food and tell him in no uncertain terms to eat. This however was not a normal day. Obi-Wan's master was there. Obi thought he had come to retrieve him and take him back to the temple to train, but it appeared Master Jinn had questions he needed answered by Kenobi before he accepted the boy back.   
  
Master Jinn had managed to temporarily quell his seething attitude toward Obi-Wan. He had gone so far as to change the subject over last meal. He intentionally kept it off his apprentice and their waning bond.   
  
"The Tabords are not a friendly sect of beings are they? They gained control of this planet by a hostile takeover over twenty years ago. Their methods of controlling it and their attempt to control everything around them is based on the same barbaric tactic and aggression toward anyone who attempts to resist, as they used for that takeover."   
  
Vos was not sure if Jinn wanted an answer to his statement or was making an observation. An observation Vos didn't care for. He had worked most intensely the last couple years to bring some semblance of civility to the Tabords and had accomplished a great deal. Had…. until the new Emperor was been installed by a very crooked election.   
  
The young knight brushed his long flowing hair back to better see the reaction to his words by his former Master Qui-Gon Jinn.   
  
"No living sentient on the outer rim is saintly Master Jinn. You are more than familiar with that. During my senior apprenticeship we spent a great deal of time out here. However, until Emperor Tolan was installed as ruler here, things had gone relatively smooth. Smooth in that the Tobards had been satisfied to colonize only this planet.. Now it would seem Tolan has other ideas, a growth spurt for his people in the line of the tiny planet, Ceris as only their first target. If I can not stop the take over, I am afraid Ceris is only the first planet on his list as potential planets out here to take over."   
  
Anakin interjected his thoughts. As usual his thoughts created a combative attitude. He had such a knack of saying something that caused controversy for someone.   
  
"I suppose Master Jinn was the only Jedi who could really manage things here until you were knighted. You seem to have stepped into some big shoes when you took *his* job *from* him."   
  
Quin and Jinn both cringed visibly. Ani had hit a delicate subject that Vos knew Qui-Gon didn't like having brought up. Before Vos was knighted, Master Jinn had always been the deterrent factor for the Jedi in this highly hostile and potentially volatile guardant of the planetary system within the Republics edicts.   
  
Master Jinn became even more engrossed in his eating, though very little of the food was actually going into his mouth. It was a convenient way, an obvious prop used to divert his attention to something other than the conversation they were in. He did not raise his head but replied to Anakin's rather inopportune and annoyingly correct evaluation of what happened to cause Master Jinn to lose his position as top diplomat for the outer rim.   
  
"Now the Jedi has Knight Vos to do their dirty work. They have no need of me in that department."   
  
Quin heard a bit of regret in Jinn's words. Could his former master actually be envious of him because the council gave him the job which had been so much a part of Master Qui-Gon.   
  
"Well I think Master Crion and I could make a formable pair out here."   
  
Xani forked up a large chunk of barely cooked meat and turned it around and around as he stared at it questionably. Then he did something quite out of the norm for him, he *snorted*. Yes if Quin heard right the other knight at the table, Kight Xanatos Crion let out a long snorting sound as an objection to Ani's words.   
  
"Nonsense, no one of right mind would want to spend their life out here. It has become more treacherous than when Master Jinn and I or even Qui coupled with Vos worked it. You must have someone out here almost all the time. You become proverbial nomads around these five planets in this sector. I am surprised we found Knight Vos and Kenobi. At any given time to they can be on any of the five planets and have to call there their home."   
  
"Well that is not exactly how I work out here Knight Crion. I try to have one stable home and this is it. With the potential for a hostile take over by the people on this planet, it pays to keep a close observation on what they do."   
  
"Quite accommodating but small. Is this the best the Tobards' government could do for the principle reason they hasn't blown themselves up in some multi-planet civil war?"   
  
Xani was in a bad mood thought Quin.   
  
"My needs are meager. I am a Jedi and thus have learned to live with less, a lot less in my case. I was taught by our master, Qui-Gon to be humble and living in this shack is quite humbling enough. After all it isn't necessary for my host to even provide shelter for me had they chosen not too."   
  
Qui-Gon was restless with the conversation he himself started. He pushed his chair away from the table and the half eaten plate of food. The clang of his fork on his plate made an eerie sound as everyone at the table looked over to him. The crux of the conversation was clearly starting to wear on the normally calm controlled master .   
  
Vos knew precious little Anakin had opened and entirely new avenue of problems between he and Jinn. Now, Vos thought his former master was about to launch into some litany of how things use to be, how he handled what the council master clearly thought could not be handled by him now. What came from Master Jinn's mouth was not of the past but of the present and it was a shock for Knight Vos.   
  
"Maybe *now* would good time to explain another reason I am here. Maybe I should have told you when I first arrived but with the other problem at hand, my pad...Obi-Wan, I just didn't. My arrival did not go as well as I would have liked it too. My mission here is two-fold. The council sent me here to look into the *situatio* between the Tobards and the Zarmacks. I am sure you both wondered why I brought Xanatos and *Ani* with me."   
  
Vos was a little surprised. It had felt good to speak with his old master about things Jedi. Not about who got the custody of a little boy. Now Qui-Gon decided it was time to lay the mother load on him. The council had never found him derelict in his duties enough to send and overseer and was leery that Jinn even spoke the truth. Though deep down he knew the Jedi master before him would never out and out lie.   
  
The rogue Quinlan Vos didn't like problems and Obi-Wan had suddenly, after ten months of calm and almost normalcy turned into a big problem and with it extra baggage. The three Jedi visitors might end up staying longer. Especially if as Jinn said, the council wanted him to review what Vos had done in the line of impeding and eventually halting the aggression of the Tobards.   
  
"Two-Fold, you mean the council has sent you to oversee my work. I find that hard to believe. They have never sent a watch dog for me before."   
  
Obi-Wan sat with his fork in his mashed beets. He had already made two faces, scratched them out, and was about to draw a house in his food when he heard Master mention another reason for his trek here. He almost missed that important tidbit of news because he had been thinking to himself if he heard Qui-Gon use the cutesy nickname *Ani* one more time he might just puke.   
  
Obi-Wan didn't have time to draw the picture of the house in his food. The rippled muscled tattooed arm of his guardian reached out from beside him and grabbed his hand, the one with the fork in it.   
  
Jinn watched with intense scrutiny as to how Vos handled *his* apprentice.   
  
Obi-Wan had never felt such a strong grip and while it didn't hurt him, much, he knew it could easily. Vos used everything in his power to control the squeeze to Obi's wrist but he didn't quit succeed. It hurt Obi's feelings more than his wrist, to be treated so in front of his master and Anakin Skywalker. Obi-Wan shoveled a large spoonful of beets in his mouth as soon as Vos released his grip. It wasn't that he liked the beets or because he rushed to do what Vos wanted. He hoped if his guardian saw his mouth full of food he would not engage in some verbal reprimand which would really embarrasses him..   
  
Quin allowed his serious stare to slowly sweep the table to everyone there until his gaze settled on Master Jinn. He preceded with his conversation with Qui-Gon as if the incidence with Obi hadn't even happened.   
  
"Well they have never found reason too before. The threat by the Tabords to overtake the tiny planet of Ceris was reason enough. It was the Zarmakc that asked for another Jedi. Seems they feel they will get the short end of everything with your primary home here. The council tried to explain to them that you would be fair and keep both factions in mind when negotiating a deal . But… as you see they didn't listen so I was sent. not as a watch dog but as an encouragement for both rulers of each planet to feel represented."   
  
"Yes, well I admit my negotiations with them have stalled but not entirely broken down. I have managed to reach some understanding with the new emperor. . It is enough to hold out some hope."   
  
Master Jinn's hidden anger for Vos' suddenly surfaced all the way and he couldn't resist being a bit assertive with this rogue know-it-all knight.   
  
"Humph… stalled is that what your total lack of ability to even reason some kind of compromise between the two, a stalled process? I think the Zarmack people would call your inability to find a solution to their problems a bit more troublesome than a stalling process. They need to have something done now. Even as we speak the Tabords could be planning a proverbial annihilation of the little planet. That, Knight Vos is the reason *I* am here; to see it doesn't go any further."   
  
Vos' face redden to the color of the beets on his plate.   
  
His former master might attack his style his clothing, his hair, even his way of life, but never before had he heard him attack what Vos considered was his best asset; his ability to negotiate and settle almost any problem.   
  
Knight Vos had never been one to wear his emotions on his sleeve. He realized immediately that he had let those around see a part of him never normally seen. With the help of the force he regained his normal coloring, attempted to slow his breathing and stop the despicable thoughts he had for his former master. After all, it was he and not Jinn that broke their connection after his knighting.   
  
Quinlan got up from the table and started to clear the plates that were not needed. Obi made an attempt to get up to help but a very firm hand on his shoulder let the apprentice know his help was not appreciated right now.   
  
Obi now had two things to worry about. First there was his master who already stated he was a more than hesitant to take him back and now that very said master had angered Obi-Wan's guardian. Obi saw something in Vos he had never seen before, a shade of darkness, possibly. Not as blatant as an evil one who served the dark force but something was there and it scared Obi maybe more than the idea that his master didn't want him any longer. Loyalties for one or the other Vos or Jinn for Obi was causing turmoil. He however felt a certain connection to Vos and felt maybe his master was overly stating his reason for being here; not that Obi would go so far as to say Jinn lied, but what was really more important to his master the mission or the forging of their bond.   
  
Kenobi hadn't wanted to delve right back into his and Master Jinn's conflict but neither did he want to listen them rehash every little minor eruption on Ceris or any other outer rim planet. He wanted to know his future. A future that might not be revealed to him until the mess with the new Tobard emperor. He wished Master Yoda had told them Qui-Gon and his little entourage came for another reason than just him. From the dark looks that passed over Vos' face as he listened to Jinn downgrade his abilities to keep peace Obi thought Knight Quinlan wished he'd been given notice as well.   
  
Anakin sat silently and fumed. He did not like his grandmaster Jinn, the only one there who valued his "chosen one" stasis involved so deeply in a possible mission with Vos. He liked the attention he received from Jinn. His master Xanatos Crion had grown tired of his childish ways and his pompous attitude. He managed to wrap Jinn around his finger. Xani was as conniving as his padawan so it was harder to con another con.   
  
Vos talked with Jinn but thought of why Master Yoda and the rest of the council would think the Tobards would trust and outsider to maneuvered a peaceful settlement.   
  
//Odd, unless the little troll has managed to convince the council to send Jinn as some kind of parley between me, him, and Obi-Wan. It might be to Obi-Wan's advantage if Qui-Gon stayed longer. It would give him more time to assess his padawan for what his potential truly is. Good for him, bad for me. I don't need my former master and his "tag-alongs" looking over my shoulders. They might compromise what I have so far been able to accomplish, though I do admit it isn't much.//   
  
"If it is as you say, the council wants you here then they must have a good reason. I will see if I can schedule meeting with Emperor Tolan first thing in the morning. As for keeping Anakin in the excellent shape you allude too, I will show you where Obi-Wan and I practice our katas and saber techniques. It isn't as fancy as the temple arena but it serves its purpose well.   
  
"Good." Jinn got up and stretched. "The trip has made us all stiff. I myself could use some exercise tomorrow. AS for now I think I might take a walk around the city, if you feel it is safe to do so?"   
  
"Yes the emperor's guards know you have arrived and who you have come to visit. Obi-Wan, I will do your clean up chores for you. Why don't you go with your master? Maybe a little privacy is just what you two need right now."   
  
The silence in the room was obvious. Jinn walked to the door as if he hadn't even heard Knight Quinlan's suggestion. Obi-Wan stared at his uneaten food and said nothing until he felt a sharp nudge and knew it was his guardian. A stern look and a nod toward Jinn was Vos' way of silently instructing the boy to follow his master.   
  
Jinn stood at the door and regretfully heard the sound of the chair Obi sat in being slid out from under the table.   
  
"Yes, Knight Vos I am sure you are right. Privacy is what we need."   
  
Jinn couldn't put off what he had to say any longer. He turned and flashed Vos a look of contempt before he faced off with his apprentice. His glare, no easier to look upon for Obi than it was for Quinlan.   
  
"NO!!!!, that is alright. Since I will be here a while, I have plenty of time to speak with the boy, I mean Obi-Wan."   
  
With that Jinn made a hurried exist out the door into the cold darkness, but no darker or colder feeling than what he left his apprentice feeling.. Qui-Gon had yet to call him his apprentice.. The word refused to come from him and Obi-Wan knew Jinn was hesitant to call him that.   
  
//Maybe if he thinks if I hear padawan I will assume he plans to take me back and I don't think that will be the case. He just wants to finish the mission before he drops the bomb on me; tells me he has no plans to reinstate me as his apprentice.//   
  
Vos had much the same thoughts but now was not the time to confront Jinn. He did however have every intention of confronting his former master about the treatment of his little ward.   
  
//Maybe my former master can dissuade Obi-Wan with rude remarks and a threatening stare but he can't me. Master Jinn is not going to get out of this without hearing exactly what I think of the abominable treatment of Obi today. I plan to get Master Jinn's assurance tonight that tomorrow he will treat his apprentice in a more respectful way whether he intends to continue training him or not. If I don't some reaction from the old goat and he repeats today, he will answer to me. It won't be a quiet discussion amongst friends. It will be more like a locked in battle between two sworn enemies………………..master and apprentice. //  
  
#####out in the city##########  
  
Qui-Gon had not been on his evening stroll long when he heard someone behind him. Heard was not really the accurate way for describing how he knew Vos was there. He felt his former padawan's force signature; a signature indelibly imprinted in Jinn's mind. Once a master and apprentice have formed a bond, that bond is forever recorded in their minds, recognized as a fingerprint would be. It is there always in some capacity. With Xanatos, his force signature was barely readable just as soon as their training bond was dissolved. With Quinlan, his signature was a like a neon sign, lit up in Jinn's mind, if he allowed it to be. Qui-Gon had to admit, next to Kenobi he and Vos once had the strongest bond of all his apprentices. He decided to teach the young knight a lesson for his feeble attempt at stalking him.   
  
Before Quinlan had time to react, Jinn had his saber drawn, ignited, whirled it around, and pressed it against the younger Jedi's neck.   
  
"Should learn to be a little quieter."   
  
Qui-Gon let the knight go and as Vos rubbed the slight singe on his neck, he spoke.   
  
"I don't think you heard me at all. You cheated and pulled from the force. You felt my force signature."   
  
"Cheated, I used all means possible to find out who was stalking me. That is not cheating, that is using force given talents."   
  
"I was not stalking."   
  
Quin allowed a rare sheepish grin to be directed to his master.   
  
"If you *cheated" and knew it was me, why did you draw your saber and actually use it on me?"   
  
Vos knew it was some kind of lesson, he just wanted to hassle his former master.   
  
"Oh and how did you know where to find me? You did the same thing as I, you followed my force signature. And as you can guess, I drew my saber to teach you a lesson."   
  
Jinn raised an eyebrow and waited to see if Vos would deny the truth.   
  
Vos bent one leg up and propped it against the lamp post, then leaned into it for support.   
  
"Yes, well I suppose old lessons die hard, but in this case it was not necessary to follow through with it and make it a painful injurious lesson."   
  
Vos rubbed the singe on his neck again just to let the master know he had made his point..   
  
"Yes, I found you through our old bond but I *WAS* *NOT* stalking you. However, I did come to find you."   
  
"Oh......... one of those privacy moments you thought Kenobi and I needed, you decided would work with you and I as well?"   
  
"Padawan Kenobi, Have you forgotten that or do you just not call him your apprentice by his title as some punishment? You know that is what it is when you have yet to acknowledge him as your apprentice. If not punishment, it is tortuous for Obi-Wan to hear and see you avoid calling him by his rightful title; that reiterates verbally his rightful place by your side."   
  
"He knows he is my apprentice, as everyone at that table is aware that Obi-Wan is my apprentice. Why should I have to say it every five minutes?"   
  
"Once would have been nice. Just once had you called Obi-Wan, Padawan Kenobi, it would have helped break the ice."   
  
"You mean the *ice* he created when he denied us our bond. The break in our bond was directly because of Obi-Wan and not for a good reason. He felt threatened by the 'Chosen One', lame and un-Jedi. I am not sure I can accept it as an excuse for what he has done to us the last ten months."   
  
"Even if I admit that all you say about your apprentice is correct, the way you treated him today was just plain rude."   
  
"You let me worry about my apprentice. You have had him for ten months now. He has wasted time that he could have used to better himself and not had to worry about the 'Chosen One' being better than him. Pettiness that is what it is."   
  
I don't think that's all he's worried about. He feared he would fail you. I know from experience you expect your apprentices to be the best. Maybe he feared that the 'Chosen One' had more to offer you than he did. If the boy is really concerned about it Master Jinn, can it be all that *petty*?"   
  
"Well he was wrong. Now though I am not sure I can keep giving him a way out every time he makes a mistake. Has he told you of Melida/Daan?"   
  
"No, *he* hasn't. I heard about it through the grapevine. Not quite as accurate as the truth, but I know the jest of it."   
  
"Oh the infamous padawan gossip. Well, they might have exaggerated the truth but not by much. Obi-Wan had just gotten off probation and this had to happen. I won't have another apprentice defy my every word, shirk from his responsibility. He is a child but we all know Jedi children aren't really children. No Vos, I am not sure I want to call him my padawan again. It seems I don't have a very good track record when it comes to readying apprentices for knighthood. I am not sure I want to go through the same hurt with him over and over as I had too with Xanatos and y??.…."   
  
Jinn stopped, but Quinlan knew what he meant or rather *who* he meant.   
  
"Like me. There I finished your last word for you. I was that rebellious padawan, the *other* one. You have the blatantly raw audacity to compare Obi to me, possibly even worse, to Xanatos?" Don't Jinn, you don't do the boy justice. He has more compassion, trust and loyalty for you than I ever did. And you must admit Xanatos had a lot less of that Padawan loyalty to you than even me."   
  
Now it was Jinn's turn to rest. He leaned against the adjacent post, much like Vos was doing.   
  
"You had loyalty Quinz, you just put other loyalties before the Jedi; way before what should have been first and foremost."   
  
It was soothing to hear his old master use his nickname, the one Jinn himself gave him. Only for a moment though, before he remembered that not long after Master Jinn christened him with his new nickname, their problems began.   
  
"You mean I put loyalties before you, not the Jedi. That is what it was about, you Master Jinn. Just as it is now. You aren't concerned that Obi has in some way betrayed his apprenticeship to the Jedi, just to you."   
  
Jinn could see they were about to get into a heated argument that didn't need to be.   
  
"Look, I don't plan to argue with you about your apprenticeship or Obi's. I am going back and go to bed."   
  
Vos watched the master leave.   
  
"You are right you know."   
  
Jinn turned around and was barely visible under the dimmed light.   
  
"We don't' need to rehash our past and my failings as you perceive them, Qui-Gon. You need to deal with Obi-Wan. If today was any indication of how you plan to handle him then you are a very incompetent master. Not only that you are heartless maybe more than you were when you were my master"   
  
Jinn drew in a deep breath, had every intention of blasting back with a hateful retort, but found he couldn't. Not with those deep dark set of eyes that pierced the night. Vos seemed to want the same thing Obi-Wan wanted, his unconditional acceptance. Quin didn't say that, Qui just felt it. It was acceptance he couldn't at the moment give to either of them……….   
  
########################   
  
Xanatos watched the two padawans in the kitchen. He sat in the common room and tried to relax. However, he knew he couldn't nod off to sleep, not with Anakin and Obi-Wan in the same room. He wasn't worried about Obi-Wan. Nevertheless, he knew if the opportunity arose for Anakin to argue with the other apprentice, he would. It wasn't that he cared a bit for Kenobi, but he knew Anakin hoped to sabotage Jinn and Kenobi's rejoining. Anakin wanted Xani's former master to stay with them for longer than Xanatos wanted. Crion would be glad now if Jinn had Kenobi to focus his concerns on.   
  
So as Obi-Wan and Anakin Skywalker worked that evening congenially together, Xanatos sat, waited, watched, and wondered when the inevitable would come. However, it was not to be tonight. Ani held his tongue and what thoughts Obi had of Anakin, good or bad, stayed that way, locked in his mind. The inevitability of their confrontation that Xanatos longed to see would not be this night…  
  
[b]####The next morning with the new emperor ####[/b]  
  
"So these are the Jedi sent here to negotiate for the Zarmacks? I can't imagine why you insisted Master Jinn hold conference with me. Shouldn't you send him to Ceris and let him begin there?"  
  
Vos could tell the Emperor had taken a dislike to Jinn and the other two Jedi with him. He had misconstrued why Qui-Gon was there and haughtily without reservation let them know that.  
  
"No, no Emperor Tolan. While the Zarmack did ask to be represented, Master Jinn does not take sides just as I don't. He is here in the same capacity as I."  
  
Knight Vos had allowed Master Jinn to step up front of him to speak with the emperor but the way the emperor misunderstood Master Jinn's presence, Quinlan practically pushed the master out of the way. He didn't look at Jinn for fear his former master would start in one of his irate rants about Quinlan overstepping his boundaries. [b]T.H.A.T.[/b] was something Emperor Tolan did not need to witness or he might lose what faith he had in Vos.  
  
"Oh and does the Jedi council not trust you to do their diplomatic negotiations anymore, Jedi Vos? Master Jinn, take word back to Chancellor Valorum and your Jedi council that I trust no one but Knight Vos. The level of that trust, at times is questionable. You will find I am not the trusting sort of person at all. Either I deal with Vos and Vos alone, or no one."  
  
Knight Quin started to speak before Jinn held up his hand and Vos from past memory as his apprentice just stopped at a mere hint of a command from his former master. Old habits died hard and as was once habit, Quinlan Vos did everything his master commanded.  
  
"Look, Emperor Tolan I mean no disrespect, but I am afraid you have no choice. I was sent here to assist Knight Vos and as senior Jedi on this mission I plan to do just that. It benefits me to side with neither you or the Zarmack people of Ceris. I hold no stake in your feud over land. If you choose not to work with me, I can send your message of refusal back to the Republic council and I am sure that Chancellor Valorum will cease all support the republic gives to your world and its people."  
  
Jinn never moved a muscle. His hands were as usual stuck inside the sleeves of his robe where he nervously fiddled with a string raveling loose. He did not want to show the emperor or the others around him to see how nervous he was. He predicted this man could have a volatile and violent temper and was easily provoked, if his demands were not met..  
  
Tolan did not like to be threatened and Master Jinn's words sounded like a threat.  
  
"Oh, so the peaceful Jedi are authorized to issue threats. Well two can play that game. You have twenty-four hours to get off my planet. Off, peacefully within that time period or I will have my men put you off. Go to Ceris and hunker down for a fight because that is what they are in for. While you are at it, send word to your precious council and Valorum that I don't need the Republic' financial or military aid. I have another who is willing to help me achieve what I desire. One who in many ways sees things my way."  
  
Obi-Wan watched and noted how very similar, yet dissimilar Vos and his master were. Vos would have been sly and cunning in his agreement of the emperor though he might not agree at all. Master Jinn refused to stand down against the emperor. He was right and that would be what the emperor would *have* to understand. [i] My master is always right or so he thinks.[/i] Obi-Wan noticed how reserved and calm both were when faced with a very difficult situation.  
  
"Very well, I will leave first thing in the morning. All of us will leave. You must give Vos time to pack his things."  
  
The emperor frowned as he looked directly at Master Jinn. It was evident he didn't like what the Jedi master said.  
  
"Oh you misunderstand. I said you and your little troupe were to leave. I said nothing of Knight Vos and his apprentice."  
  
It was then Knight Vos drew his little ward closer to him Jinn however seemed to not be at all interested in the child's well being and totally oblivious to the possible threat the Emperor leveled toward them. Vos knew they were in for trouble. That is why he nestled Obi-Wan even closer to him. The boy was very nearly buried, hidden in the folds of Quin's robe.  
  
By now Master Jinn had grown quite weary of the nerve of the emperor to interject himself in Jedi business, his business. He didn't know if the emperor referred to Obi-Wan as Vos' apprentice to anger Jinn or if Vos had allowed those on this planet to believe Obi-Wan was "his".  
  
"I beg to differ, Obi-Wan is my apprentice and if you have been informed otherwise, you were given the wrong information."  
  
Knight Quinlan started to object but knew it wasn't the time. They were headed for problems, big ones. Jinn was burying them and their chance to negotiate, [i] or possibly get off this planet.[/] Tolan was a man to reckon with and Jinn handled him all wrong at least in Vos' opinion.  
  
"Oh that is right. The boy is here until you decide what to do with him."  
  
Jinn shot a glare to Vos. He took a moment to wipe the fast forming perspiration from his forehead. He wished now he hadn't put his Jedi robe on before he came to meet with Tolan.  
  
"Well as everyone evidently knows the Jedi business, private business, yes, Obi-Wan was here until I decided what should be done. But now he will go with me, as will Knight Vos."  
  
"Oh you plan to take the boy back?"  
  
This emperor knew too much and when he had time, Qui-Gon would confront Vos about it. He just wanted to convince this insane emperor that he could not allow any Jedi to stay here. It wasn't safe.  
  
"It is none of your business what I have decided to do. It is Jedi business you should not have been privy too in the first place. As I said, we will be gone in the morning, [b] A.L.L.[/b] of us."  
  
Tolan got up right in Master Jinn's face. Qui-Gon had to grit his teeth to keep from saying something absolutely unlike him in a diplomatic impasse. Knight Vos kept his hand on his saber hilt… just in case trouble erupted. Emperor Tolan would then realize where Knight Quinlan Vos' true loyalty lay.. With the Jedi and more importantly his master…….  
  
"I will see to it that you leave with the two you came with and no one more. Maybe you should have been more concerned for you apprentice than you were. Now it would seem that he will be held hostage just as Knight Vos. [b] The detainment of Knight Vos and your apprentice should insure my planet is not attacked by an over zealous republic hell-bent on protecting Ceris."………………….[/b]  
  
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My hardest critic, "Kyer" [thanx] has turned into my only reader willing to respond!!! Maybe I should send you a copy of the story if no one else is enjoying it here on FFN!!!!  
  
PEACE [b]ewen[/b] 


	8. The First Signs Of Vader is shown Jinn

Master Jinn paced the floor of Vos' small cabin, back and forth, back and forth. It had begun to make the owner of that cabin dizzy as he tried to keep up with the stubborn master. The knight assumed his former master was deep in thought with the pressing issue at hand of how to get him and Obi-Wan off the planet.   
  
Yes, Master Jinn had thoughts of escape for Vos and Kenobi. However, that was not the only thing that raced through his mind. Tolan's last words to him made such an impact on Qui-Gon that he could not stop thinking about them.   
  
//"So you see Master Jinn, you have almost the identical situation that got your apprentice removed from your care before. History does repeat itself and so soon."//   
  
Jinn couldn't decide which irked him more, the words of the emperor, or the sinister laugh that followed them.   
  
//Removed? What did Tolan mean removed? Who told him all this, did Vos? No, he wouldn't have would he, lie? //  
  
From one end of the cabin's sitting room to another, turn and turn again, as Qui-Gon paced he would think first of what Emperor Tolan said about Obi and then what to do to get them off the planet with him when he went.   
  
"Maybe *N.O.W.* is too late to decide you want the child, Master Jinn."//   
  
If just part of his mind could shut down. The part of his mind that kept going over and over what the emperor had said.   
  
To and for, with each turn he made in the small cabin his thoughts turned from Obi's detainment to Vos' "big mouth".   
  
"Had you allowed me the opportunity to talk with the emperor first, this might not have happened. Oh no…not Master Jinn, head-of-the-mission Master Jinn. Now have you come up with something we can do?"   
  
Jinn stopped and turned on his former apprentice.   
  
"I thought I told the emperor you needed time to pack. "   
  
"SO?"   
  
"Then why don't you pack and have my apprentice, your temporary ward, do the same. I will think of a plan to get you out of here. Maybe if Emperor Tolan hadn't had so much ammunition to use against us, we might not be in such an explosive situation. He is trying to force me into the same thing Obi thought happened before; that I would choose Anakin's safety over Obi-Wan's."   
  
"You are incredulous Jinn. You would accuse me of telling all our little "family" secrets. I am astounded just as you are that Tolan knows so much. It didn't come from me."   
  
Even though he shot Quin an accusatory look, the big Jedi knew from past experience that Vos was not lying, //If there's one thing he doesn't do, it is lie.// Still the quagmire was there as to how the emperor knew so much…….   
  
"As for packing, we aren't going anywhere, Obi-Wan and I. So packing would be a waste of time."   
  
"I beg your pardon?"   
  
Jinn found himself nervously fiddling with the ever-raveling piece of thread on the inside of his robe sleeve again. He made a mental note to have the seamstress back at the temple fix it.   
  
//Before the entire sleeve just falls off. //  
  
"I said you aren't going to get A.L.L. of us off this planet first trip. Obi-Wan and I will have to stay if you expect to keep the others alive and kicking."   
  
There it was. Jinn had to make a choice between padawans again. That was Obi's take on it anyway and no one, had they known what he was thinking, would have been able to change his mind. Obi-Wan knew, just knew his master would finally relent, leave him with Quin. In Obi's mindset it would be solely because he needed to protect the 'Chosen One'.   
  
"Look Quinlan, you have evidently been too wishy washy with this planet's leader. You allowed him to believe he controls you. That is not how it is to work. No, you will go to Ceris with me when I leave. I certainly don't plan to leave Obi-Wan here with a near war at hand."   
  
Vos eyed his master in wonderment. He wondered how the man could be so bullheaded even now, now that *He* had caused so much trouble. That was the first time Master Jinn had really voiced true concern for his apprentice and Quinlan wasn't even sure then the concern was real or just put out there by the ever-right Jinn; waved like a banner; his way of saying "hey look at me I really can show concern for my apprentice.".   
  
"Qui-Gon, there is no way you will be able to sneak Obi and I off this planet. I could however think of a means to help you get Obi-Wan away from here. A very innovative diversion is needed. Any suggestions anyone?"   
  
Obi sat at the table and watched the two go back and forth.   
  
Jinn's second apprentice, Xanatos Crion had to silently agree with Vos.   
  
//Master Jinn did walk in and try to rule everyone.//   
  
It was Knight Crion who first interrupted what had become a childlike display of a power play between Master Jinn and Knight Vos. He slammed his fist on the kitchen table and stood up.   
  
"Enough! You two act like two children in the crèche arguing over a wookie doll. This is serious. The emperor wants hostages, two of them. I don't think he will allow us to take Vos or Kenobi away with us. We will have to just have to leave them here, go to Ceris, and await the council's orders as to what to do. It is hardly likely Tolan plans to do anything to two Jedi but detain them as he said; as a shield of protection against any battle plans the Zarmack people have."   
  
"I think my master has an excellent idea. The other two will have to remain here if we are to stay safe."   
  
Crion understood Ani's meaning to his words maybe more than the other two older Jedi. Xanatos sat back down and said nothing more. He assumed Jinn would correct his apprentice with at least a critical look but Qui-Gon did or said nothing to Anakin.   
  
//AHHHH.. My precious padawan, your true colors are showing. I doubt that Dense Jinn will see them, but I do. You would like nothing better than to leave Kenobi here permanently. The council won't allow that so in that I have nothing to worry about.//   
  
Instead of correcting Ani's for his misnomer, Qui-Gon directed his attention to Xanatos.   
  
"Don't be absurd Xani. I can't allow two Jedi to remain here as some kind of protection against an attack we would never instigate. As for the Zarmacks, I can't interfere in what they want to do. I can suggest, prod them into thinking about their plans but a Jedi can't interfere."   
  
"You had better be able too or the two Jedi you refer to, Obi-Wan and I might not be alive when you do come to retrieve us. If the Zarmacks of people decide to attack Tolan before he can them, I am afraid you might as well tell the temple to fire up our pyres. We will be safe as long as you can convince the Zarmacks that a more peaceful way to handle Tolan and his people can be found. What really concerns me is *WHO* Emperor Tolan has to back him."   
  
Jinn swung his hands in the air like a crazed man.   
  
"There you go again!!!!! I don't even think he spoke the truth. Maybe the emperor wanted us to do just what you are; wondering and worrying about who his financial and military benefactor is, instead of the real problems at hand. A ruse to throw us off, that is all it was."   
  
"No Master Jinn, Tolan never bluffs. If he says he has someone to help launch a battle with the Zarmacks, then he does. I just wonder if it could be the Sith, Darth Sidious. Out here *HE* roams more freely than he does through the more civilized planets such as Coruscant. Sidious if far more likely to acquire more followers out here than on one of the federated planets."   
  
Jinn had not admitted it to anyone but the idea that Sidious in some way was involved had crossed his mind. He stopped his pacing. He focused on his half empty cold cup of tea right beside Xanatos' elbow, that rested on the table. Qui looked up in time to see a sudden turn of Vos' head, until it was cocked to the side, combined with a look of realization on his face.   
  
"Well what is it? I know that look Quinlan. What is on your mind?"   
  
"Ever think that whoever he has backing him, Emperor Tolan did say he was ruthless, is the same person who knew and relayed him information about Obi's problems. Maybe it wasn't just the Bulenese people that had a hand in Obi-Wan's brainwashing. Could there have been another behind it all and that person is now the principle instigator in this mess out here?"   
  
Only half of Crion's attention was focused on the argument between Vos and Jinn. The other half was steadfastly centered on his own apprentice. He noticed every little smirk, satisfied sigh, anything that told Crion what he already knew; Skywalker reveled over the situation Vos and Kenobi had been put in. Crion further suspected Anakin would like nothing better if the emperor not only kept them detained but possibly it would be good if the two prodigies of Master Jinn were permanently detained by way of their deaths.   
  
Xanatos did take a moment to cast a look toward Obi-Wan, who sat across from him at the kitchen table. His head was down. Obi looked at neither his ward nor his master. His hands were clamped together in front of him, on the table. Had Vos or Jinn taken the time to even glance at the boy, they would have seen the nervousness in him by the way he weaved his fingers together and continually cracked his knuckles.   
  
Crion watched with a little more interest when Obi looked up to see Anakin with a smile on his face. He glared right back at Kenobi. Xanatos almost felt sorry for the young apprentice, *almost*. No one had truly taken in consideration that while they discussed him, Padawan Kenobi listened and not only did he listen, his actions were scrutinized by Crion's apprentice, Anakin Skywalker.   
  
Not that he really cared what happened to Obi-Wan, Xnai just didn't like Anakin thinking he had the upper hand with Qui-Gon. So much so that, he decided to do something about the two that continued their heated discussion as if the boy wasn't there.   
  
Knight Crion sat up, put his hand to his mouth and cleared his throat, very loudly cleared his throat. He hoped to draw their attention. That didn't work. Vos and Jinn still remained locked in their discussion as to what was the best way to handle the predicament they were in. They were still oblivious to the padawan who sat nervously, took it all in, plus had to be continually eyed by Xanatos' vulture-like apprentice.   
  
Xanatos got up out of his chair and began to clear this throat again. This time however he wedged himself between the two "loudmouths", as he thought of them.   
  
"Yes, did you want something Xani?"   
  
"I thought perhaps you and Quinlan would rather discuss all this in private. Private, as in you have upset Obi-Wan by your discussion of him and by your omission of him in that discussion."   
  
Jinn ever the Jedi master expected a Jedi apprentice to take whatever a master said or did in his training. This to him was no different. Vos however, knew they were in the wrong. His thoughts instantly went to why Xani would be so concerned. //Not that Crion ever had any concern for another living creature, that I can recollect. //  
  
"What is it? Did you suddenly start to feel compassion for others, Xanatos?"   
  
"For Pete's sake Vos, don't you ever let it rest. Xanatos is concerned for the boy. That is all. I am as well. That is why I am trying to convince you that you are wrong."   
  
"No he isn't."   
  
Finally the silence by Kenobi was broken.   
  
"What Padawan?"   
  
"Knight Vos is right. You will have to abide by Tolan's command to leave without us. If you plan to take me and somehow leave Knight Quin, then it will I who objects."   
  
"That is not my plan and if it were, you young man, would do as you are told."   
  
"I am not officially your apprentice, not officially under your edict. Remember Master Jinn, you made that all too clear when you first arrived. Only today have you called me apprentice and somehow it doesn't matter now. It did though yesterday."   
  
For the life of him, Obi-Wan's master couldn't make sense of the boy's words.   
  
"You have no say in this."   
  
"Maybe not, but I do and Obi-Wan as your guardian, if Master Jinn could find a way to take you without me going, you would go. I can't let you stay here and jeopardize your safety for some loyalty you think you owe me; none is warranted and none is wanted."   
  
"Maybe not, but in away, I don't even feel "Jedi". So I suppose that means I don't have to listen to either one of you and I don't plan too."   
  
Jinn could do nothing, but stand and stare.   
  
"OH… Kenobi, now is not the time to lay on that sympathy ploy. Evidently it never worked with Jinn and you know it won't with me. Now sit down or go *play* outside."   
  
It was not like Vos to be short with Obi, in such a manner, and in front of others. Jinn was indignant over the way the knight had just treated his apprentice. Qui-Gon didn't realize his actions toward him since he arrived had been far worse and mentally anguishing on the Jedi apprentice, than anything Quinlan Vos could say or do. However, Obi now felt betrayed by both, his master and his guardian.   
  
Obi-Wan Kenobi didn't want to face any of this. He didn't want to face the idea of leaving Vos behind to be subjected to whatever Tolan had planned for him. He didn't want to stay and be separated yet again from his master. He just plan didn't want to do anything remotely Jedi. He wanted to cry. He wanted to throw the most massive temper tantrum ever by a young teen. He wanted to bury his head somewhere and never come out to face any of this.   
  
//Why me? Can't they see I can not handle any of it any more. I don't even know that I want too.//   
  
Obi darted for the door. Jinn stood and ordered him back. Obi-Wan never heard his command or if he did, the boy ignored it. All Jinn heard was the loud thud sound the door made as Obi-Wan slammed it behind him.   
  
"A lot that did Master Jinn. Obi-Wan wouldn't come back with just a verbal command. Certainly not by *your* command. We have to follow him before he gets lost. Obi knows this area very well and getting lost for him won't be hard."   
  
Anakin grabbed his stomach and began to laugh out loud. He literally folded over with laughter.   
  
"I suppose he could do it with his eyes closed unintentionally or intentional, get lost you know….. Not too coordinated is he? We might all benefit if he doesn't come back, if he isn't found. Just think Master Jinn, you won't have to be bothered by Kenobi any more. Maybe Tolan will find him and keep him as some war prize."   
  
Anakin spoke without thinking. In his zeal, Ani forgot that Master Jinn did not hold his sentiments about Obi-Wan being a burden. No matter how stubborn Qui was toward his decision to take his apprentice back, it had nothing to do with being free of him and certainly not so he could be manipulated by the 'Chosen One'.   
  
It was the first time Jinn had ever heard the "wonder" apprentice say anything negative about his padawan. Vos' first inclination was to grab hold of the boy and shake him soundly until his teeth rattled. Xanatos stood between his apprentice and Vos. It was obvious Vos would like to do bodily harm to his apprentice and *THAT* he could not allow.   
  
Things started to fall into place for Jinn. Flash backs of the day Obi-Wan and Anakin practiced together in the temple arena under Crion direction. //Anakin intended to injure Obi when he tossed him across the room, maybe he hoped to do more than injure him. Just maybe Anakin had been less than nice to Obi-Wan when I wasn't around. Just maybe Anakin had something to do with the dejected way Obi-Wan felt. His words alone just now showed no compassion for my apprentice. //  
  
He didn't have time to piece together everything. His thoughts were with Obi-Wan and no one else.   
  
Vos hesitated. He wanted to say something to the apprentice with the big mouth, he just didn't know what.   
  
"Quin are you coming? You have to know some of the places my apprentice would go. Take me there or if you won't, then tell me where I should look."   
  
Quin shook off the anger he had for Anakin Skywalker. He didn't release it into the force. He wanted to old it for later. Jinn was right. Now was not the time to confront Obi's nemesis but instead it was a time to find Obi-Wan and keep him safe.   
  
"Yes Master Jinn, you are right. We have more important things to do than stand here and ogle the little *BUG* over there. I haven't finished with you Anakin and if Obi-Wan is harmed in some way, you too Xanatos. You both will have to deal with me."   
  
Quin followed his master out the door with renewed respect. At least Qui-Gon had begun to see his mistakes.   
  
//NOW IF IT ISN'T TOO LATE TO CORRECT THEM!!//  
  
#############################  
  
One question for the experienced writer out there.  
  
If a writer decides to have one of his characters' dialogues use a split infinitive, is it all right to write it that way???  
  
Oh well later guys!!!!!!!!  
  
PEACE ewen 


	9. Together Again!

Master Jinn threw his arms up in absolute confusion.   
  
"Now what should we do? Is that all the places you can think of that my padawan would go, to think, to hide out, to do anything but be around me."   
  
"That's about it and I wouldn't start that sympathy ploy on me that Obi tried earlier on the both of us. It doesn't ever work. It's not you he ran from, it was the circumstance of everything, the pressure, *Master*. Maybe you don't believe it, but Jedi padawans are under a certain pressure and with you as their master, even more so. Take it from me, I know."   
  
"Oh that's poppycock. You make me sound like some tyrant who carries a bull whip. I am no harder than any other master is or should be. I expect my apprentices to do the best they can."   
  
"And what if their best is not *YOUR* good enough, don't meet your criteria as the best they can, then what?"   
  
"Then I encourage my apprentices to strife to be better."   
  
"Sometimes that is easier said than done."   
  
The phrase was barely audible as it was mumbled by the young knight. He made a left turn and checked a small arcade just down the street they turned on.   
  
"No, he isn't here. I allow him to come here sometimes to play the holo-games."   
  
"What do you mean, easier said than done?"   
  
"Oops, sorry I really hadn't meant for you to hear that. I was more or less thinking to myself. But…. well you know sometimes an apprentice, any person really, can't be what you want them to be. Or maybe they are what you want them to be but they themselves don't think they meet your standards. A lot of pressure Qui-Gon, especially for Obi-Wan I think. You must have noticed a certain amount of insecurity about his place with you. I can only imagine it stems from the rift you too had over maledd? Daen"   
  
"The rift as you call it was corrected not long after it happened I never looked back."   
  
Yes, well maybe Obi-Wan could never really look forward because he was stuck in the one little section of your time together. He hasn't not questioned himself, his right to be at your side since then. You know sometimes a person even a young person such as Obi just has to be themselves and if you really care about that person that has to be good enough. Besides I really think that was Obi's problem. I have seen him in a saber duel. I have tasted his expertise with his parry forwards and his aerial maneuvers for someone so short are remarkable. What is the problem you see in him?"   
  
"Actually until Anakin came, I saw none. I saw in my apprentice what you saw; a Jedi apprentice that was loyal, dutiful, and good at what he did. His expertise in saber training did not go unnoticed."   
  
"Did it go un-rewarded, unmentioned?"   
  
Qui-Gon visually cringed. Maybe he hadn't done as much to show the boy he was pleased with him. He shrugged his shoulders.   
  
"You may have a point."   
  
"Wow, the great Master Jinn admitting he is wrong. I wish I could have gotten that on tape."   
  
Qui-Gon rolled his eyes in a fake act of dismay over his former padawan's words.   
  
"Well don't gloat so much, or so fast. I said you *may* be right. I didn't totally admit you were right. That still does not give the boy an excuse to act less than a Jedi. He was jealous and petty. That jealously and pettiness manifested his problems, pushed him to where he felt he had to do something. He did, he stifled our bond. That Vos should never be done by the master or apprentice. It certainly shouldn't preclude him from staying his course to become a Jedi knight… Just his childish ways, no he should have sucked it up and gone on."   
  
"Yes well I am sure that now you understand some of his problems because of the treatment he received from the 'Chosen One', you will be able to work things out. After all, you are supposed to be the best at diplomatic relations. You should also practice what you preach. Seems to me when you arrived here you immediately announced that you had closed off your side of the bond. Had Obi-Wan wanted to attempt a reconnection with you he couldn't have. Not very masterly is it? No more or less than what Obi-Wan did."   
  
"I won't discuss my closing our bond. I had my reasons. As for the mission here, don't bring that up either. I really messed up here didn't I?"   
  
Vos doubted his former master had a really viable reason for closing his side of the bond other than his own stubbornness. He could however offer up words to convince his former master he was not entirely at fault for their mission's failure with Emperor Tolan.   
  
//In that, he and Obi-Wan are just alike; stubborn as mules. //  
  
"I suspect Tolan had his sinister plans before he ever met you. He has someone to back him. He is determined to take over Ceris and I don't think any amount of negotiations by the Jedi, either of us would have helped."   
  
"Then we are at stall mate."   
  
"Would seem that way. Now what to do with that little lost apprentice of yours?"   
  
Qui-Gon turned from Vos and didn't allow him to see his look of concern. Vos still believed Obi hid somewhere. Jinn was beginning to get a nudge through the force and their weak almost shut off bond, that told him something entirely different than what Vos thought.. Something was wrong. Obi just didn't' come up missing that fast and shouldn't' have been that difficult to find.   
  
Qui-Gon decided to hide his growing suspicions of foul play a while longer. He would let Vos guide him around the city a little longer before he pressed the panic button…..   
  
Vos was pleased with himself to have gotten his former master to open up so much where Obi-Wan and their relationship was concerned. All that had to be put aside when they turned the next corner and found themselves on the same little back street Obi-Wan had been, by the water way.   
  
There before them was the same group of Tolan's army going through houses and businesses searching.   
  
//But for what,// thought Vos as he was more familiar with what went on on the planet. Master Jinn was at first oblivious to difference in the soldiers activities.   
  
Vos only had time to think it and not voice it to his master when they were attacked from behind. Evidently there was more than one group of soldiers doing the searching. While the two Jedi watched the proceedings of the first group of Tolan's men, the second group launched an attack on the unknowing Jedi. Jinn and Vos both had ignored what was behind them in favor of questioning what those in front of them did. Now they had to battle their way free ……..   
  
Qui-Gon swung around and ignited his saber. He used both hands and with all the strength he was born with and gifted from the force began swinging. To some if they witnessed the battle they would think the master swung blindly but he knew his target. One solider had his blaster drawn and focused on his former apprentice.   
  
I just found the young man again. Taking him from me isn't going to be as simple a blaster shot from some kid-called- soldier still wet behind the ears. [/i]   
  
It was not a death blow. Jinn was conscious as to the soldier's young age and his heartfelt duty and loyalty to do as his commander, master, Emperor Tolan dictated. The Jedi master was most precise with his aim. He meant to injure the young man, not kill him but more importantly disarm him. His saber lashed out but only to hit the soldier's arm, his aimed target and it caused him to drop the blaster. As it should be as the master intended. There were only three left, no two. Vos grabbed a hold of one of his attackers whirled him around, then used the hilt of his saber to knock the other guard out soundly but not deadly either.   
  
The remaining soldiers chose not to engage in battle further when they witnessed how handily Jinn and Vos disarmed the first two. The ran off into night.   
  
"Well I see you did not heed all my teaching Quin."   
  
"And which one do you speak in reference of, Master Jinn?"   
  
"Ever alert on what is going on a round you. Had you been, you wouldn't have allowed Tolan's men to sneak up on us."   
  
"Maybe you too never needed your own lesson. I don't see you announce they were here until you felt the air from the blaster shot whizzing by your ear."   
  
This time Quin was able to see the smile on his former master's face.   
  
"Very well, you have a point. I would like to find out why we were attacked though."   
  
"Best way to do that is go to the emperor. It was then they made the same turn Obi-Wan had. The turn that put him on the main street; the turn that needed up costing Padawan Kenobi his freedom.   
  
[### At the emperor's private compound.###   
  
"Lord Sidious, you have my assurance Master Jinn and his group will be gone tomorrow morning. They have been duly warned. I had planned to keep the young one and Vos as hostages until things were settled.   
  
"Your plans won't do now. I have plans of my own and they include me keeping the boy. I am all too familiar with Master Jinn and he won't leave with one Jedi missing especially his own apprentice. Now we or should I say, you will have to come up with something better than that. They will have to be escorted off this planet and if not, they die."   
  
Now the emperor was worried. He would hold hostages, but to kill a Jedi might get him in more trouble, to kill an entire diplomatic group of Jedi was just too much to think about.   
  
"I don't know m'lord. That could get the entire federation on our backs."   
  
"You think that bothers me, the idea of the federation coming out here? No, my men can handle them if they choose to fight. Maybe the boy isn't worth fighting for. Not to that degree."   
  
"The boy no, but if you kill the entire entourage of Jedi, I don't' see how Valorum will be convinced not to send ships and a lot of them, Jedi as well."   
  
"Yes I see your point, still the boy will remain with me and I want Jinn and his Jedi away, far away from here. Once they are off world my ships stationed in the atmosphere around your planet will not allow another to land."   
  
The emperor was dumbfounded. He did not know what to do.   
  
"Your excellency I don't know how to accomplish both. Jinn will not leave with knowing where his apprentice is."   
  
Darth Sidious was an impatient man and that impatience finally came out. He grabbed for the emperor's throat. Tolan's men stepped up to stop him and they were stopped by Sidious' red guard.   
  
"I don't care how you do it, but you damn well better do it or the deal is off. I want the Jedi off your planet in the morning without the knowledge that we have the boy. I don't care what you do to convince Jinn to leave.Maybe convince the Jedi the young one met with a horrible fate, out in the city, alone at night. Oh, and don't keep the other Jedi hostage. Send them all on their way."   
  
He released the emperor who immediately attempted to breathe again.   
  
"Yes, yes an excellent idea. I will put my men to work on it right away. All they need is someone close in size to the boy and a way to make positive identification impossible. Yes, it will be done by in the morning."   
  
####AT the Compound#####.   
  
"Hey Qui-Gon wait up. I forgot to thank you for saving my life… If you hadn't gotten that one with the blaster aimed at me, I might not be here right now."   
  
"Thank you excepted but not necessary. I remember a few times during your apprenticeship with me, you saved my hide. Just returning the favor."   
  
Jinn saw Quinlan nod his understanding but couldn't see the smile on his former apprentice's face because of the darkness of night.   
  
"Yeah, you are right. I remember that as well. O.K. I take my thank you back."   
  
Vos couldn't see his master either, but he heard him chuckle.   
  
//Seems lately I remember a lot of things, good things about Vos' apprenticeship with me. Things until now I didn't realize were so important to me. //  
  
Both focused on the task at hand   
  
Vos stepped up ahead of Qui-Gon and rang the bell to the Emperor's private dwelling. Just above them, a curtain was ever so slowly pulled back and a hooded figure stood in the twilight to see who the visitors' were. That hooded figure was Darth Sidious and just over across the room from him, in a chair, tied up, and mouth taped shut was Jinn's present apprentice……   
  
################   
  
Does sound like what the Bulenese tried to do convince Jinn Obi-Wan was dead. Only this time there will be a body. Will the master still be as gullible as before. Let's hope not!!!!!!   
  
See ya next week. Enjoy the holidays if you celebrate Easter, upcoming Passover, or just having a quiet weekend.   
  
PEACE ewen 


	10. EASTER EGG TEASER FOR YOU

The two Jedi were waved in without delay. The emperor almost acted as if maybe he expected them or someone.. There were refreshments, a lot of them spread out on his mammoth dining table. Tolan ushered them in the dining area and immediately insisted they sit and imbibe in some food and drink. Qui-Gon turned him down. Quin did take a cup of tea.   
  
"Master Jinn, what brings you out so late?"   
  
"One of the Jedi are missing. We hoped maybe you had seen him."   
  
Tolan raised an eyebrow in mock surprise.   
  
"Good gracious me. How would I know where he is. I have been right here all evening."   
  
"Expecting someone?"   
  
Vos nodded to the massive laid spread of culinary delicacies.   
  
"Well…yes… no… I mean I do have a guest who is waiting to eat. If I can help you further?"   
  
Tolan clearly wanted the Jedi gone now.   
  
"We didn't necessarily think you had been out but there are so many of your men roaming the city tonight we thought maybe one them had seen him."   
  
Tolan flushed a pink colored and both Jinn and Vos noticed it but pressed the issue of the missing Obi-Wan no more.   
  
"As the prime protector of this planet and *my* people, I can't be too careful, now can I? Especially since talks have broken down with the people of Ceris."   
  
Quinlan immediately took objections.   
  
They didn't break down you, wouldn't allow them to begin. Your stubbornness to begin peace talks could cause a war out here and you don't seem to care at all."   
  
"We have been through all this. You have till tomorrow to leave here with or without knowledge of where your apprentice is, Master Jinn. Too bad the Kenobi has wondered off. I planned to allow all of you to leave in the morning now I suppose Vos will have to go it alone without his little companion."   
  
Vos immediately became suspicious of Tolan's sudden change of hear about keeping hostages. Jinn didn't know him well enough to wonder what he planned or if it was out of the ordinary for him to suddenly become a man of compassion.   
  
"Now if you will excuse me I have a guest to attend too and feed. Your time would be better spent preparing for your trip and what you plan to tell Chancellor Volaroum and you revered Jedi council."   
  
The guards for Tolan pressed right up against the two Jedi backs. They had no choice but to leave.   
  
A quietness settled on the two as they returned to Vos' little cabin.   
  
Upon their arrival, Xanatos had so many questions for them that the calm they had was impossible to keep.   
  
Of course Anakin had had time to make up a reason for sounding so vicious toward Obi-Wan but Jinn was not about to fall for his tricks again. He would not allow the boy to dube him again, although he didn't say that . In fact Anakin thought he made a little head way with his plan to repair the rift between he and Qui-Gon.   
  
Xanatos retired and Vos vowed that as soon as he rested, he planned to go out again. Qui-Gon agreed with him and both sipped on some hot coffee to wake them up . It was now quite late in the early morning hours and within five of those morning hours they would be expected to board a ship.   
  
Qui-Gon nervously tapped his fingers on the table. He gulped his hot gulp of drink down and waited for Quinlan to finish his.   
  
"Quinlan, in our conversation to Emperor Tolan did you mention to him *WHICH* Jedi was missing?"   
  
Quin thought for a moment and set his cup of coffee down.   
  
"Hummm.. No don't think so. I thought you did."   
  
"I just said a Jedi. I did that for a reason and then allowed the answer I waited on to slip right by me. I suppose when he mentioned leaving the thought of going away again with Obi took over my mind."   
  
" You did it for a reason. You mean you wanted to trap him, see if he knew anything? Then with your distress over Obi-Wan, it slipped your mind?"   
  
Jinn returned the stare and nodded his agreement to what Quinlan Vos said.   
  
"Qui-Gon, if you didn't tell him it was Obi-Wan and I didn't tell him it was, then how did he know? Emperor Tolan even mentioned his name…"   
  
Qui-Gon already had his cloak on and was at the door. He held it opened and waited for Vos.   
  
"EXACTLY! How did he know? Let's go back and get a answer to that very question, shall we?……………" 


	11. Do Sith Wear Underwear? Read and find ou...

Darth Sidious had just fallen asleep. Fallen asleep as much as anyone could that was as hated as he was. Although he had his red guard for protection, his subconscious was always alert to the things that went on around him even though he feigned a sleep state.   
  
He was up, out of bed, and stood in the middle of it with his saber drawn bare feet tangled in the cover and long john bright red long johns worn by the sith lord.   
  
Emperor Tolan was accompanied by two of his own guards and they pulled their weapons over the shock of the red guard blasters aimed at them. However, Tolan himself had to stifle an outright laugh when he saw Darth Sidious poised in the middle of his bed.   
  
//He certainly doesn't look like such a formable adversary now. Glad the Jedi didn't get the opportunity to see this. They would have attacked us by now and laughed them selves to death doing it.//   
  
"Lord Sidious. So sorry if we startled you."   
  
"Hun… ugh…" Sidious cleared his throat and adjusted his red underwear as he made his way off the bed.   
  
"I was not startled, just prepared. Light sleeper you know."   
  
Obi woke up in his chair and witnessed the amusing sight. He would have laughed had he not been so miserable at being trapped plus his concern for his master and his guardian.   
  
"Now would you explain why you woke me up in the early morning hours. This had better be good really good."   
  
"You may think so, The Jedi. Master Jinn and Knight Vos have returned."   
  
No one noticed the Jedi apprentice fight harder against his tied hands. Just the idea of his master and Quin downstairs with no knowledge of the dark one up above them pushed the adrenaline through Obi's veins. He would have like nothing better than to get out of his ties and yell to his master. Any attempt to reach his master through their bond was out of the question. Not only was he tied up, he was behind some kind of force that emanated from Sidious. He could not make even a minuscule mental contact with either Vos or his master.   
  
"So, what do they want this time?"   
  
If Darth Sidious was concerned about the Jedi's return, he gave no outward indication of it.   
  
"They said they came to ask for a reprieve on the time I gave them. They want another day or two."   
  
"Out of the question. They have to leave and leave now."   
  
"Well, I don't think that is the only reason they came, though they didn't say that."   
  
"What makes you think there is another reason?"   
  
"Well you see the last time they were here .. Well I kinda I…"   
  
"I, I, I, What exactly did I [you] do?"   
  
"I think I may have mention Jinn's padawan by name.   
  
"A.N.D.?" Sidious waited a moment as if he expected an answer to his "and". He didn't get one so he continued.   
  
"Is there a problem with his name…. so what?"   
  
"You see the Jedi… they referred to as missing was just that."   
  
"Just "what", man? Quit stumbling over your words and tell me of what you are talking about?"   
  
"You see m' lord.."   
  
"Stop right there. I am not your lord, don't refer to me as that. Sidious, Darth Sidious, anything but m' lord. Now continue, what is it man? Just say what you have to say. I need my rest."   
  
By now the dark lord had the decency to put on his long robe over his long-johns.   
  
"You see they…. Master Jinn…. I mean… called the missing Jedi, a Jedi."   
  
He hesitated. He hated to tell the dark lord of his misnomer.   
  
"SO?"   
  
"Well you see I don't think Master Jinn mentioned which Jedi it was."   
  
"Oh, I know now. You supplied him the name of his apprentice without being told to you by them. Am I right?"   
  
"Yes .. Kinda.. Well yes I suppose you arrrr.. Right I mean."   
  
"You know… I am right that is why you are so afraid and rightly so. Had I not been quite pleased with my prize."   
  
He pointed his saber toward the Jedi apprentice still tied to the chair.   
  
"I might be quite angry with you. Enough to take your head off right now, and your men. Well they would stand there and do nothing or face the same fate. Like I said I am pleased with my gift from you so I will allow one mistake, only one though Emperor Tolan. Now what should we do about that *one* mistake, any suggestions?"   
  
"I suppose I will go back down there, greet them, and insist they leave first thing in the morning. The same plan as what I had when they were here earlier."   
  
Darth Sidious walked around the room. Tolan couldn't help but think how much more sithly the man looked with his robe on to cover the silly red long johns."   
  
Sidious tapped his finger on his chin a couple of times and swirled around to face the emperor once again.   
  
"No, I don't think that will due at all. You see that might make them even more suspicious. Although I can handle two Jedi with no trouble whosoever, I would like not to be tracked down by them later. No, it would be better if you can convince them that the boy has died. Find a way to do that? Wait…I know.. Yes I know."   
  
Sidious seemed excited with the idea he had come up with but had yet to tell Tolan of it. The emperor was not going to push the Sith for his solution even though the Jedi waited for him down stairs. He had two adversaries trained in fighting with the force behind them. He didn't know which would be worse to cross. However the glare Sidious cast on him led him to believe it would be better to wait for what he had to say.   
  
"Emperor Tolan, tell the Jedi Master Jinn you saw the concern on his face. It was so deep you must have just assumed it was the Kenobi boy, his apprentice." Yes, do that would you for me? I mean if their suspicion are quelled and they leave all the better for me and you. If not then I will see to it they are disposed of and your name will never be linked to that disposal."   
  
That did sound good to Tolan, very good it if the dark lord's idea worked …  
  
####################################  
  
Thank You for the feedback. Though short, I hope it was amusing. More over the weekend.   
  
PEACE ewen 


	12. The gray between good and evil

########Back at the cabin.#######   
  
Xanatos had gone to bed, but a nagging concern for his former master ate at him until he could no longer lay still. Sleep hadn't come and wouldn't likely until the other two or three Jedi returned. Another nagging problem also stayed with him, his apprentice, Anakin Skywalker.   
  
Xanatos might not admit it to anyone but while he and Jinn hadn't seen eye to eye in a long while he didn't want harm to come to him. If need be, he would protect that said master to insure it didn't.   
  
His thoughts were interrupted by the arrival of the other problem that hadn't allowed him to sleep, his apprentice.   
  
"Master I thought you went to bed long ago."   
  
"Yes I did, couldn't sleep, though. I came out here to stoke the fire. And do you have a reason for being up so late? All your studies completed and meditation followed through?"   
  
Xanatos had been leaning against the mantle at the end, away from the fire. Now he grabbed a poker from its stand and mimicked doing what he said he came to do.   
  
Anakin rolled his eyes. But only when he could not be seen, after his master leaned over toward the blazing fireplace to stir the embers back to life and pile on another couple of pieces of wood for fuel.   
  
"You know me, I am a whiz with my studies. A little judicial assistance from the force just like you, dear master taught me and as for meditation I completed enough of them."   
  
Anakin wanted to get a real feel for how his master handled his outburst earlier in front of Master Jinn and Knight Vos. Something told him by Xani's curt coldness toward Anakin, Master Crion hadn't approved of his sudden need to blurt out the truth to Qui-Gon, of how he felt about Obi-Wan..   
  
"Hey, are you upset about something? About what I said, I thought of Padawan Kenobi? Surely Master Jinn knows it was said in the heat of the moment."   
  
"Oh Padawan, I think Jinn understands a lot more now.. Possibly more than I understand you, if that's possible."   
  
The innocent look Ani had tried to keep on his face was replaced with an angry glare.   
  
"What, you think Master Jinn will still be angry with me when he returns? I don't think so. He thinks too highly of me."   
  
"Don't be too sure of yourself. Just maybe you think too highly of yourself. Qui-Gon once thought very highly of me, maybe more than any of his apprentices at one time. Well maybe not.. Vos was always important to Qui-Gon until later…... Master just has a way of pushing us too far in some ways. Now with you, it is quite different. You interfered in a sacred thing, a bond between a master and his apprentice. He didn't like that and given more time to think on it he will like it even less."   
  
"Yea, well you *ARE* wrong. I think I can get him…"   
  
"You mean get him back in your hip pocket. No Ani, you won't be able to accomplish that again. Though I will hand it to you, to be able to "hoodwink" Master Jinn just once is quite a feat. Face it, you are stuck with me and if you don't start studying more it will be another knight or master. I have a feeling Master Jinn will cut all attachments with you if he gets Obi-Wan back. I don't plan to put up with your hot shot attitude, especially without Jinn around to take the pressure of training you off my back."   
  
"Is that any way to talk about your own beloved padawan?"   
  
A laugh echoed through the nearly bare cabin that sent chills down Xanatos' spine. It came from his little evil apprentice.   
  
"Well let us just hope he doesn't return with his little brat."   
  
Xanatos walked the short expanse of the room and grabbed Anakin by the collar.   
  
"Listen you. I am going out to look for Quinlan and Master Jinn. I think you better not repeat what you just said. If Jinn heard it, your days as an apprentice would be over. I wouldn't put it past him to see that your force abilities were removed as well. If I hear you say such a thing again about another Jedi, any Jedi, I will personally report you to the council. Have no doubts. You have my word boy, understand?"   
  
Ani was too taken back to say anything. He knew Xanatos meant what he said. He'd never seen the determined fury in his master's ebony eyes before. And he hoped never to evoke it again. Xanatos didn't wait for Anakin's reply he headed for the door to search for Jinn and Quinlan.   
  
"Master may I go with you?"   
  
Why? Think you might run into Obi-Wan? If I or we did I wouldn't allow you to harm the boy. No with the threat of Jinn's wrath ever present."   
  
"Xani I am on your side, remember? I am your padawan you know."   
  
A small smile etched itself on Crion's face. He didn't exactly trust his padawan, wasn't sure if he would ever go that far as to say he trusted him. However what Ani just said would be enough for him, at least for now.   
  
//Maybe he and I can come to an understanding with my master out of the picture. A younger me wouldn't be bad having around at all. If I am this corrupt under Jinn's tutelage just think of how mercilessly conniving Anakin's potential is under my direction could be. The galaxy awaits two like us. //  
  
"O.K. *Padawan, then start acting like it. Now, let's go find your grandmaster and Knight Vos shall we?"   
  
################   
  
"Master Jinn, what brings you here again and such a late hour?"   
  
"We have a couple of questions for you. I see it seems you couldn't sleep either."   
  
Jinn let his eyes make a total sweep of the man before him. Emperor was still dressed in the same items as before. He's hadn't donned his night clothes or it didn't seem so.   
  
//No one would go up and totally dress even his robe had he been in bed,// thought the hulk of a master, Qui-Gon.   
  
"Emperor Tolan watched as Jinn's azure blue eyes made that complete sweeping stare of him from head to toe.   
  
"Oh well yes," Tolan stammered his words out. "I mean I haven't gone to bed yet. I have an important…"   
  
The emperor stalled out again. He wanted to come up with a reason he was up so late.   
  
//This will never work. I have never been quick with making up lies. I should have thought through what I was going to say to the Jedi before I spoke with them.//   
  
"Well.. I ugh.. I have a important briefing with my troops first thing this morning."   
  
//Yes it is today, not yesterday. Oh my how can I do this, without appearing to be a bumbling fool; a bumbling fool that I must already appear to be?   
  
An intimidated-looking Quinlan Vos circled the emperor as if he too was taking in the man's state of dress or, ////Is he trying to decide if I am telling the truth? //  
  
Both Jedi noticed the nervousness in the emperor, watched as he sucked in a deep breath air, but didn't release it for a long time. Yes, he was a nervous. Especially for a man who should have everything under control. He was the ruler and his armed forces to reinforce his leadership. He definitely had no reason to be nervous unless…. //Why so nervous? // thought Jinn. // Unless he has something to hide, my apprentice. //  
  
While the Jedi were making their mental assessment of how nervous the emperor appeared to be, he noted some nervousness on the Jedi's part. Vos continually toyed with the gold hilted *green* saber. Green wasn't really a good way to describe its color. You might say it was a very deep emerald in color; a much deeper, richer green color than his master's. Knight Vos' long fingers would wrap around its handle as if he planned to pull it out, only to suddenly release his grip on it, then would stare back at the emperor.   
  
His stare would then dart to one or more of the emperor's guards as if he expected an attack at any moment. Yes he was definitely being cautious on this visit, maybe overly cautious, guiltily cautious. Was there a reason the Jedi thought they had to be that cautious? Now the emperor had worked himself up to where he almost hyperventilated.   
  
"Well…………. What is it I can help you with?"   
  
It was Tolan's second attempt at broaching the subject of why the Jedi were there again. He knew the reason. However he didn't want to appear to know why…. He knew he should wait for them to explain if they would only do it, thought the ever growing impatient and now scared man.   
  
"We couldn't help but notice you knew a bit more information about the missing Jedi than we gave you. like which one was missing. You knew *which* one it was without Knight Vos or I ever telling you the identity of the lost Jedi."   
  
Tolan laughed. Did his laugh have the same shaky sound as his voice seemed to have to his own ears. He turned so they could not see his face. The emperor had heard somewhere that a Jedi could judge whether you were lying or not just by looking at you. He wouldn't take any chance with these Jedi, especially with the dark lord just above him with threats of his own. The emperor was hemmed in, trapped. He had to watch how he dealt with the Jedi and he knew he couldn't cross Darth Sidious..   
  
"Knew too much? Excuse me please explain as I don't have a clue about what you mean. Like what did I know Master Jinn?"   
  
//Yes that it is it. I shouldn't act like I even know what he is talking about. Let Master Jinn get it out about the boy's name then I can explain. Wouldn't do for me to know why he has returned.//   
  
Emperor Tolan's mind raced as he discussed all this to himself. He wanted to be non-chalant, but his nervousness was evident to both Jedi certainly wouldn't convince them he was calm since he was anything but demure and poised.   
  
Tolan remained with his back to the Jedi for a while longer. He wanted to escape for a moment gather his thoughts and breath; something that had become increasingly difficult since the two Jedi arrived.   
  
"Listen before we discuss this, let me see what is keeping the refreshments shall I?"   
  
Jinn started to object but the emperor just waved him off as he walked toward what Jinn assumed was the kitchens.   
  
While the emperor was gone the bell of the door sounded again and one of the emperor's servants opened it to find two more Jedi, Xanatos and Anakin.   
  
After Tolan was informed that two more Jedi had joined the first two, he waited longer to return. After all, he had double the trouble to think about now.. He hid in the kitchens and watched a couple of his servants prepare tea and a few delicate shortbreads left over from Sidious' massive meal.   
  
####Back with the Jedi#####   
  
"Do you feel it. Any of you?"   
  
The other Jedi looked at Jinn as if he had gone crazy. All of them were force sensitive but none had taken the time to drop their shields to allow the aura around them to have any effect on them. Jinn had because he searched for Obi's force signature. What came up was a force signature of someone evil and close…..   
  
"What do you mean Master? I feel nothing. Do you Vos?"   
  
"Nope, not a thing. I think you are just a little too jumpy tonight Qui-Gon.. We will find Obi I promise now relax a little, loosen up."   
  
"Quit treating me like I have gone insane."   
  
Anakin could only stand there and watch and listen. He fetl something through the force, a signature, but he didn't know it was evil simply because he was accustomed to his own aura which bordered on the dark side anyway.   
  
"Quinlan, try it, reach out. Just once try, you will feel the same thing I do."   
  
Qui-Gon knew he had *NOT* lost touch with reality but trying to convince his other two former apprentices that he was not being a hysterical master, too concerned for his young apprentice was difficult to do.   
  
Vos walked over to Master Jinn just after his statement to him about feeling the evil in the emperor's mansion. He nimbly ran his fingers along and in the hair of the master just at his crown of his head.   
  
Jinn darted back and ducked his head away from Vos' exploring hand.   
  
"Just what are you doing? Have you totally lost your mind?   
  
" I might put that same question to you, Master? No, I haven't lost my mind. I am just checking to see if you have some kind of special antenna on your head that searches out something other than the force allows us to see or feel.. I don't feel any evil, just some kind of disruption in the force. But I certainly couldn't or wouldn't announce it as some evil entity."   
  
Yes, Qui-Gon was definitely being cautious on this visit.   
  
"E.V.I.L. confound it Quinlan Vos. I feel it just as surely as I feel the force of good that resides within me. If you would be more open, you would feel it too, so would you Xanatos."   
  
That made Ani nervous. //If Master Jinn could feel an unknown evil around him, why was he not able to feel my desire to walk on the dark side…….? //  
  
Xanatos looked over at his apprentice. He heard or rather mentally intercepted Ani's thoughts. It surprised the master at first. It was the first time really that he and his apprentice, Anakin Skywalker had made any kind of mental connection.   
  
//Because you hide it so well. You are so good at hiding your *GRAY* shades of the force, for that is all it is right now until I have honed it for you. You are good at deceit. Much better than I or the "entity" Jinn refers too. I feel an abnormal glitch in the force and suspect it is something or someone of the dark force here. I just don't want to admit it and bring us trouble, possibly trouble from the dark side itself. //  
  
Ani looked up sat his master with renewed respect. *Renewed* wouldn't be the best of words to describe his respect. Maybe because Ani had never had any respect for his master until now. They had managed somehow to make a mental connections stronger than ever before and it had happened just then with his thoughts of his own corruptness. //Maybe that is why, my desire to delve in evil clouds the evil one's aura here.//   
  
The four Jedi collectively found seats and waited for the missing Tolan to return. It had taken quite a long time to make tea [ but……   
  
######### upstairs in Tolan's home#########   
  
Sidious sat on the bed and waited for Tolan to return. He wanted to know what happened with the Jedi. Emperor Tolan had sent word that now there was two more Jedi another apprentice and knight there. Sidious had instructed the emperor to follow through with their plan. Sidious sent assurance to the emperor by way of Tolan's servant that it would be four times the fun if he was required to kill all four of them.   
  
Obi-Wan had become a little too combative even though tied up, and Sidious was forced to keep him quiet. A punch to the jaw sufficed; just one punch powered be the force from the dark side and Obi-Wan was out like a light..   
  
As Sidious sat there he too felt a heavy laden feeling around him that alerted him that someone present within Tolan's home was of the dark side or threatened to cross over.   
  
//It could be from only one place, downstairs, where the four Jedi wait for their reluctant host. One of the Jedi has dark potential in him. It would be far easier to snag one who wanted to follow me than the little one over there who plans to fight it all the way. If only I knew which Jedi it was. It would be delicious if Master Jinn had suddenly taken a turn to the dark… Delicious and intriguing indeed….//   
  
PEACE ewen   
  
Well we all know that Qui-Gon is NOT the dark one, Darth Sidious feels. Maybe Jinn could just trade Obi and Anakin, though Sidious would get the short end of the bargain in *some* ways anyway!!!! 


	13. A sith or just a plain EVIL person?

###The Jedi Return to Tolan's Home  
  
"Well I see we have two more Jedi. There must be a problem? Is the one missing so slippery and cunning that it takes all four of you to find him. If you have returned with questions on the whereabouts of the missing Jedi, I assume then it must be Vos' apprentice, I mean his ward and your apprentice Master Jinn. You know since both of you are here again."   
  
You didn't have to assume the identity of the missing Jedi. You knew that didn't you Tolan? That is why we returned in the first place. You called Obi-Wan by name when we hadn't even mentioned which Jedi had gone missing. We have returned to find out just how you knew that information."   
  
"As for calling the missing apprentice by his name, I suppose I may have, though I can't remember. I saw so much concern in your face and yours as well Knight Vos. I just assumed with both you so concerned it had to be the Kenobi boy. And see I was right."   
  
"Yes, how convenient. I will ask you again Emperor Tolan, have you or your men seen or heard from my apprentice this evening."   
  
Emperor Tolan put on his sternest face. It would have to do to cover the cowardly way he felt.   
  
"Master Jinn, if you have come here to question me all over again, let me assure you my answers will not change. I have not seen your apprentice nor have any of men reported seeing him or hearing from him. If he is in someway upset with you or Vos, I hardly think he would choose my shoulder to come and cry on. Now, I really would like to catch a couple of hours sleep if I may."   
  
Talon extended his arm toward the doorway; an unspoken request for the Jedi to leave. His men rallied around the four Jedi and it then became an unspoken demand.   
  
"Master Jinn, since you seem so upset about your little apprentice, I will extend your stay here by two days. Two days Master and not a minute longer. If you haven't found the little "twit" by then, it's unlikely you will. Did you ever consider the possibility that maybe he doesn't want to be found?"   
  
None of the Jedi in the group turned around. However Vos wanted too and actually started to respond to Tolan's remarks in a verbal and possibly physical way to the emperor's nickname for Obi-Wan, *twit*. The quick right arm of his former master darted out and prevented him from doing what he *wanted* to do. They left without another word to or glimpse of Emperor Tolan.   
  
Qui-Gon left but he was even more convinced now that Emperor knew something about Obi-Wan's disappearance. It had been over five hours and nothing. Jinn had not been able to feel the boy's force signature but was convinced nothing mortally had happened to him.   
  
//Maybe Tolan or his mysterious unnamed guest used some kind of force inhibitor on Obi-Wan. No one in his or her right mind would take a Jedi without the use of one. Not even a sith. //  
  
Qui-Gon, at that time had no way of knowing how close to the truth he was. He had put some things together. The guest was of the dark side, how dark, Jinn was not ready to say. He certainly wasn't convinced yet that it was a sith. He suspected that the dark sided guest was the one who planned to help Tolan overthrow the government of Ceris and that was the same darkened aura person who in some way had Obi-Wan captive.   
  
As the Jedi made their way back to Vos' cabin lived, Jinn spoke his thoughts.   
  
"It has to be!"   
  
Vos had been in his own thoughts but he was quickly drawn from them when Qui-Gon spoke.   
  
"Has to be what Qui-Gon? Come up with something other than a dark sider lurking ever closer to us?"   
  
Vos hoped a little humor would break the coldness around them. He soon found out Qui-Gon was far from being in a humorous mood.   
  
Qui-Gon stopped, turned, and tilted his head to the side slightly.   
  
Vos knew that stance. It was one of those "don't mess with me " moments.   
  
"Listen, there *is* something going on, I know it, I can feel it and if none of you are convinced of that, you shouldn't even consider yourselves Jedi. Jedi learn how to use the force, to feel things not seen, to know without absolute knowledge what goes on around them. That is part of assessing a situation; any situation and none of you can denote any ripple in the force? Astounding, just astounding. That I trained the both of you is even more astounding!!!!!"   
  
" Knock it off Jinn. Now is not the time to tell us, your former apprentices how inept in the force and being knights you think we are. If we are inept, I am sure you are going to find a way to place all the blame on Xanatos and me. The great Jinn can't accept blame for anything you might have done to thwart our training now can you?"   
  
Vos was angered at first by the master's words. Xani said nothing. He had to be around Jinn more than Vos after this mission was over and he wasn't going to "rock the boat". Their relationship was rocky enough as it was and with Anakin to put more strain between them, it was likely to get worse.   
  
//No matter what I think about Jinn's statement of our inability to feel through the force, as we should, I don't plan to say anything. Let Vos and Jinn argue it out. I have enough to do with this "Chosen One" that I can't trust from one minute to the next. //  
  
Vos seemed to realize his words were too harsh, at least right now, for this master to hear. Not that they weren't true, just too harsh. //Sometimes the truth is always hard to hear, especially when it deals with one's own mistakes. //  
  
"I am sorry Qui-Gon. I know there must be something Tolan is hiding. I mean any one could see that. Then he offered us another couple of days here on his planet. Now that I thought was odd. But if he had Obi-Wan for some reason why not tell us? He first wanted hostages. Another thing why was he so willing now to allow me to leave with you. Hostages would have been to his benefit, now he doesn't want them, why?"   
  
"Yea, it would be to our benefit too Vos. Then you would be here and the rest of us gone."   
  
Xanatos joked with Vos. He also knew something wasn't just quite right and although he didn't necessarily want anything to happen to Obi, he wasn't thrilled about a battle out here with some other force-powered entity.   
  
"That's enough both of you. This is serious."   
  
By now Quinlan's mind was clouded with hurt and confusion because of Jinn's quick ability to revert to being the master and he and Xani the *lowly* apprentice.   
  
"First we are inept in the ways we use our force and now were are too carefree and not all acting like a Jedi. Is there anything you have found that Xanatos and I have done right throughout our life up to now? If you would just tell us how you want us to react to everything it might work out better."   
  
Qui-Gon was frozen by Vos' words. Never had the young knight spoken up so defensively for himself or Xanatos. Qui-Gon only stood and stared at his first apprentice. Vos had left him virtually speechless to countermand Knight Vos' smarting reflection of how Jinn treated those trained by him….   
  
Anakin didn't take notice of any of the arguments that went on. He was daydreaming, mesmerized with thoughts of doing a real battle with some one of the dark side or, //even the sith themselves.// reveled in the idea of doing battle with another who possessed the force and especially the dark force even if it was the sith. He reasoned that would be the only way he would know for sure how he really fought was if he could fight as aggressively as he was able, even to the death of his opponent.   
  
################################ As if forgotten, maybe not worthy of a response, or just no retort for his former apprentice, Jinn said nothing in defense of himself.   
  
Xanatos wondered if it was because Vos had struck home with his remark and Jinn was unwilling to admit it. Vos was too dumbstruck over his own intestinal fortitude. He never dreamt he would tell Jinn what he felt went wrong in their relationship.   
  
//I suppose he certainly didn't need to hear it now with one of his apprentices; one that he was about to make the same mistake with, is missing. It needed said but I am not sure I was right on the timing. However it certainly needs said before he gets Ob-Wan, if he does.//   
  
Vos started to say *something*. He wasn't sure if he planned to apologize. //Shouldn't have to apologize for a statement of truth,// he argued with himself. Nevertheless, he wanted to say something, anything. He made a silent commitment to himself that he would not take the words back.   
  
Jinn slung his hand up to stop Vos from speaking. Quinlan, always and ever a dutiful padawan, no matter how he was as a knight, stopped with the unspoken command for silence by his former master. Years of training under Qui-Gon had taught him, if nothing else to heed his master's every command right or wrong.   
  
"Don't……. this doesn't need to be discussed now. I have to find my padawan. But when this is over Vos, when this is all over and Obi-Wan is back with me safely, you and I *will* discuss this further. A hell of a lot further, *Padawan*."   
  
###At the emperor's palace.###   
  
"What do you mean; you plan to leave the planet? Leave me with the Jedi, leave me to explain to an irate Jedi master already convinced I had something to do with his lost apprentice. I don't think so."   
  
The emperor stood with his hands of his hips. He actually challenged the sith lord to defy his words.   
  
"Do you really think I intend to listen to you Emperor Tolan? I told you what my immediate plan of action is. Now it is up to you to decide what you want to do."   
  
"Do.... what can I do? The Federation will be here like a swarm of bees on honey without your help. Not only will your departure keep me from my plans to invade Ceris, I myself may end up incarcerated if I can't produce the Jedi boy. Yes, that is it. If you are too afraid the Jedi will learn of you and you do intend to leave, you cannot take the boy. No way. He may be my only way out of this; my bargaining chip with Jinn to keep Valorum and the Republic Federation from taking actions against me for the disappearance of Master Jinn's apprentice. No Sidious! If you abandon me, you do so without Kenobi."   
  
"You know Emperor Tolan you are much smaller in the scope of things than you realize. I don't need you, you need me. I don't really care if you invade Ceris or not. I have more important things to dwell on now. One is that there was a Jedi down here t his evening that bordered on the dark side. I have to know which one."   
  
"Well I can tell you it isn't Vos. The others I can't vouch for. From what Quinlan said about his former master, I don't' think it is the head master Qui-Gon Jinn, either. Now have you considered my ultimatum?" If you leave you leave without the boy."   
  
" Yes, Yes I am thinking."   
  
Sidious wasn't even considering the emperor. He wouldn't be around long enough to consider. The sith wanted desperately to figure out which Jedi had the dark side potential.   
  
####Back with the Jedi####   
  
Qui-Gon, tell me again why are we going back to Emperor Tolan's home. He may have us thrown in irons and escorted off the planet tonight. Or worse yet, he may have his men kill us all. Want that?"   
  
"Of course I don't. Now I suppose you are going to accuse me of trying to have my former apprentices killed, all of them? That is not what I am doing. I am making every attempt to save the littlest one, the one I haven't screwed up yet. Is that better? Yes, I have made mistakes, lots of them. I can't and won't go into it now. However, as a former padawan and hope, still somewhat of a friend, I ask you to do this, both of you, Xanatos as well. If you don't want to risk your life and you feel you are, then don't come with me. I however have to find out what is going on."   
  
Vos remained silent for only minutes. There was no doubt in his mind what he would do, no matter how absurd Jinn's idea to return was.   
  
"You know I will go. I just hope you have a plan for when we get there."   
  
Jinn looked over at Xanatos for an answer to his question from him.   
  
"Count me in too Master. We haven't seen eye to eye in a long time but in this, I will help. Contrary to what Vos believes, I know you would have done no less had he or I been in the same position Padawan Kenobi is ."   
  
"If you both will keep quiet awhile and let me think as we walk, I hope to have a plan when we arrive. I myself don't' want to be on the other end of one of the emperor's guards' blaster."   
  
##############With Sidious and Tolan#####   
  
"Look the only thing I know about the other two Jedi is that the one named Xanatos, Knight Crion was also a former apprentice to Master Jinn. He came right after Vos finished his apprenticeship. Until all this happened, Vos and I were quite friendly. He told me a little and what little I know is that this Knight Crion has problems with his temper and authority. He and Jinn had some falling out over something but as you see, they work together now. Now you know as much as I."   
  
"You said there was another boy, one older or younger, which is it?"   
  
"How would I know? He is bigger than the Kenobi kid, yet I get the impression he is about the same age. Vos said he was some hotshot apprentice. That is all I know about all of them. Absolutely!!"   
  
"Very well if you are sure."   
  
Sidious smiled evilly at the Emperor who in turn waited to see what Sidious planned to do; leave without the Jedi as Tolan demanded or stay and help him.   
  
How naïve the emperor was.   
  
"Well, do you have an answer for me?"   
  
"Yes, but I just want to make sure I do *this* right."   
  
Tolan thought he had made an impression on the dark lord and that he might decide to stay if it meant the only way he could keep the Jedi apprentice, Kenobi.   
  
"Oh while you are thinking, I have thought of something else."   
  
"Good, tell me maybe it will be useful enough to sway my decision on whether to go or stay. What exactly have you remembered?"   
  
I said the other apprentice was a hotshot... well that is what Knight Vos first called him. But later when we discussed the Kenobi boy's master abandoning him, Quinlan said it was to help the other Knight, Crion train the "Chosen One."   
  
"ONE" was just gotten out of the emperor's mouth when Sidious whirled around; saber in hand, one powerful swing, and Tolan no longer existed.   
  
The excited and very pleased Dark Lord had more than enough information to know what he planned to do. He walked up the spiral staircase to get Padawan Kenobi and allowed his men to "finish off" the emperor's guards that stood around, still stunned by the violent and swiftness of their leader's death… Their demise was about to come just as quickly and violent. Darth Sidious was very familiar with who the "Chosen One" was in name and now, possibly in identity, Padawan Anakin Skywalker.  
  
################################  
  
Vos and Crion went to the back entrance and waited for another command from Qui-Gon. Master Jinn took Anakin with him to the front door. First, though they tried to see into some of the main front windows, but the blinds were tightly pulled together. Jinn had already gotten a bad feeling about their return. Not because of what Quinlan said about the emperor taking his wrath out on them for a third interruption. His concern focused on the stillness of the Emperor's private home, the lack of front guards that were posted there at the previous two visits, and the darkness of the palace itself, inside and out. He even voiced his concern to Anakin, although he didn't expect the boy to know any more than he, a Jedi master did.   
  
"Maybe because of the late hour the emperor pulled his men off duty, you know so they can sleep."   
  
"Yes Anakin, good speculation, except wouldn't you assume he would replace those guards with others that *were* rested. Emperor Tolan was on high alert, with the city crawling with his men earlier at dusk, and now? Now there isn't even one sentry guard at the front or back door. No something is going on. We just have to figure out how to get in and see what it is."   
  
"Why not through the front door? Just barrel in there and demand to know what's up."   
  
Jinn shot the inexperienced apprentice a look of astonishment after Ani voiced his easy but wrong idea.   
  
"I can see Xanatos has not taught you about diplomacy or how to keep alive on a mission. Come to think of it, aside from the defensive aspect of your training, I don't think Xani has worked with you on anything else. I failed to see that how lopsided your training really was; how it only focused on the battle techniques, and I was even there, closely monitoring your training."   
  
Jinn shook his head, not over Anakin's wrong idea but over his own stupidity for abandoning his apprentice to train Anakin.   
  
//And I was so wrapped up by what I thought was such an honored prospect of training the *Chosen One*, I failed to see he wasn't being trained as he should be in the first place. I left Obi-Wan for nothing. I failed as much as Xanatos did, maybe more because I should have known better. //  
  
Anakin wasn't sure if he should be more offended by Jinn's words about his master's lack of training or his inability to do anything remotely Jedi unless he was armed with a light saber in hand.   
  
"My master has done the best he could. Had you not decided you need to have your own apprentice back, I might have benefited greatly from your training on diplomacy. Now however, I suppose I will have to be content with what Master Crion teaches me."   
  
"Yes, I suppose that is true. Once I have Obi back, he and I will be gone from the temple and on more missions. Your time however will be spent at the temple, in classes."   
  
"What makes you think that? I am Obi-Wan's age. Maybe the council will elect to send my master and me on our own mission. //Especially if I show you and the council my abilities in battle, while on this mission.//   
  
Oh how Anakin wanted to blurt his very boastful thoughts of himself out to Master Jinn. The knowledge that Master Jinn would be angry if he heard them kept Anakin silent.   
  
Nevertheless, *Ani* hoped Jinn would say something in the line of an agreement about Anakin and his master going on missions. He hated the thought of being tied down at the temple while wimpy little Kenobi would be out conquering the galaxy.   
  
"Master Jinn, how are you so sure that my master and I won't be permitted our own missing once we have completed this one. I mean… well …ugh… if I do well here and…"   
  
"You can't do *well* here, as you put it. Diplomacy is included as part of your training during your apprenticeship. I plan to see to it the council understands that you have quite a bit to learn about diplomacy. I will recommend you work on that and not the defensive aspects of your Jedi apprenticeship. No Anakin, you and your master have a long way to go before you are as prepared as my apprentice in all aspects of being a *true* Jedi."   
  
That said, Anakin could only huff up and remain silent. He had too or reveal his true thoughts which would only acerbate he and Master Jinn's relationship that already tittered on the brink of non-existence.   
  
Anakin regretted saying what he did about the Kenobi to the master earlier. Not that he didn't mean it, but he realized it showed Master Jinn his bad side. Come to think of it he wasn't sure he had a *good side* to show.   
  
//At least Master Jinn probably sees me that way. Master Crion understands me far better than any other Jedi master at the temple does. However, If only I had a master who didn't think of the darkness in me as a hindrance. If only I had a master that reveled at the idea, I was powerful and that power came from the touch of rebelliousness in me. That added bit of evil I feel inside makes me excellent with my saber. //  
  
#################   
  
Jinn felt it before he entered the palace. He wasn't sure if it was a trap or if the home really was abandoned as it appeared to be. He soon found out when the Jedi finally rushed through the back and front door. Master Jinn had tried to do it the conventional way. He rang the doorbell and waited, waited, and waited, no answer. After what he deemed an appropriate time to wait for someone to answer the door at three in the morning, he gave the order to Xanatos and Vos at the back door to enter. It took just a little of their force powers to enter. It didn't' require knocking the door down, as one would think .   
  
Once inside, they found an eerily darkened palace, every light turned off.   
  
"I suppose it is a good thing no one is here. We could be shot on sight for breaking and entering the home of the ruler. Wouldn't look good on our mission report, that someone *else* would have had to write *for us*."   
  
"Calm down Xani. No damage done. No one is here and on one will know we have been here."   
  
"It was too easy!!!"   
  
Jinn interrupted his two former apprentices as they bantered back and forth of the right and wrong of their entrance to Emperor Tolan's home without permission.   
  
"We had to get in, no one's here, so we had very little options other than just entering without permission. I must find Obi-Wan. Let's go to the main common room."   
  
"Master, wile you and Quinlan check down here, maybe it would be wise for Ani and I to go upstairs and have a look. If someone has been up there and had Kenobi there, could be something left behind to give us some clues."   
  
No Xani, wait!!!! There was a definite touch of anxiousness even fear in the his former master's voice when Jinn responded to Xani's suggestion they split up..   
  
"I think it would be wiser for our safety to remain together. See if what we think, that the palace is empty, is truly that way. Then we can check upstairs *together*. Let's *all* go to the main common room. Maybe we can find some clues there. After that, we will check upstairs. I don't think it is a good idea to separate just yet. I am more anxious than anyone to find Obi-Wan, but I don't want to make any mistakes, especially one that might end up being a fatal one."   
  
###Obi and the dark lord####   
  
"Master, we are ready to take off. You have only to give your word and I will set course and lift off."   
  
The red guard thought if his master, Lord Sidious had them prepare the ship for take off, take off was imminent. He assumed once he notified his master that everything was a go, they would do just that, *GO*. However, Sidious had other plans.   
  
"Oh Diablo you have started to think for yourself. Maybe that is why I chose you to be the commander of my elite personal red guard. Nevertheless, I don't want you to think for yourself when I am here to direct you other wise. I wanted the ship prepared for take off. But I am not sure we will take off. It was precaution, only a precaution. Just in case we ran into problems."   
  
The commander of the red guard bowed far enough down to touch his master's shiny black boots. An error like the one he just made often times left the person who made that error beheaded just as the emperor had been.   
  
"Sorry my lord. Yes, you are wise, far wiser than I. Of course we can't leave yet."   
  
Diablo knew his master enjoyed bathing in compliments. It was the only thing that might keep him from being reprimanded by his dark master. Sidious tapped the commander on this shoulder.   
  
"As much as I enjoy watching you grovel for your life and you do it so well, we have better things to do. No, you are not a dead man today. I have much need of you on this trip. I need an envoy, a small one of two or three red guard to go back to the palace and snoop around. Find out if the Jedi have returned and see if they can learn what Master Jinn and his Jedi companions plan to do. If he is there then he has found the headless emperor and hopefully the *other things* I left for him."   
  
Sidious chanced a quick look over his shoulder.   
  
There in the corner lay and battered beaten and unconscious Kenobi, a Jedi padawan minus his Jedi braid……………….   
  
#### At the palace.####   
  
The four Jedi met in the main hall when they first entered the palace; Vos and Crion from the back door and Jinn and Skywalker from the front.   
  
Jinn led the way through the hall to the main common room. Nothing that they could see was amiss in the palace. There were no lights on as they made their way to the main room.   
  
Even before he reached the ornate craved double doors, Jinn knew there something wrong. He didn't' feel it through the force. From experience, he smelled it. Yes, smelled it and he didn't need the force for that either. Many times after a battle and there had been many for the seasoned Jedi, the smell of death had permeated his nostrils. It was the sickening pungent odor that signaled freshly drawn blood and a lot of it.   
  
No one else seemed to notice it. Jinn took into consideration his former apprentices were several years younger and numerous battles behind him. He did not mention what he suspected they would find behind the double doors but he hastened his pace to reach the room where the smell floated through the air from.   
  
He hadn't felt the death of his apprentice, but with their bond being practically non-existent and the force inhibitor on him, Jinn knew Obi-Wan could have passed through the force and not been noticed by him.   
  
The Jedi master was actually relieved when he finally opened the door and found the bloody headless body of Emperor Tolan along with his few personal body guards. What he found next actually shocked him more than the heinousness of the way the dead had been slaughtered.   
  
As Qui-Gon made a visual sweep of the room, he focused on a large side shellacked mahogany table where the emperor's cup still sat. There beside Tolan's last cup of tea, was a note. A knife through the note held it there along with his padawan's symbol of apprenticeship, Obi-Wan Kenobi's rust and golden haired braid, blood soaked at its roots.   
  
The braid had been violently jerked out of Obi-Wan's head.   
  
Jinn physically cringed with the thought of how Obi's braid was removed to be left behind on the table. Knight Vos came up beside his former master and tenderly took the letter from his hand. His attempt to take the braid was thwarted by the teary-eyed Jedi master. The *unread note* had been willingly given to Knight Vos.   
  
However, Qui-Gon would not relinquish Obi-Wan's braid. He gripped tighter the precious symbol of an apprentice's hope for a future as a Jedi knight. The braid held together and adorned with green and blue beads, still dripped blood, Obi's blood……….  
  
####################### Thank You for the feedback and helpful writing tips.  
  
PEACE ewen 


	14. Worms crawl in & out, in your stomach, o...

Anakin hoped no one saw him turn his head as he held back bile that threatened to spew from his mouth. He didn't care one bit how much pain Obi-Wan suffered at the hands of possibly the sith lord when he *removed* the braid from the young padawan. His concern was as always, for himself. He realized they were facing someone comparable to a sith or a sith himself. He couldn't fathom an adult inflicting such pain on a young one, a phrase often used by the Jedi for their apprentices, no matter their age.   
  
//No telling what else he has done to Kenobi. No matter who *he* is, he certainly didn't let his victim's tender age sway his barbaric actions.//   
  
Xanatos stepped closer to Qui-Gon and he too attempted to take the braid from Jinn.   
  
Jinn wrestled his hand and arm away from Xanatos. The mini tussle ended with a sharp jab from Qui-Gon's elbow to his former apprentice's rib cage.   
  
"NO!! Xanatos this will remain with me. "   
  
"Master, who are we dealing with that would do such a thing?"   
  
"Who have I suspected all along, Knight Crion? Answer my question and you have the answer to your own."   
  
Neither former apprentice said it aloud but when they looked at each other and if you could read lips, SITH was clearly inaudibly spoken.   
  
Anakin regretted his boastful words to Master Jinn. If this was the work of a sith, he wasn't sure he wanted to see him now or do battle.   
  
//What would happen if I became a captive of the sith lord? I imagine they have already done worse to Obi-Wan by now. His braid was yanked out as a show of power for Master Jinn and the rest of us to see.//   
  
Anakin erred when he decided to voice some of his own thoughts.   
  
"I suppose if was a sith who did this."   
  
Anakin motioned around the room and the slaughtered people. His stare did not stop until he caught sight of the pad wan braid in Jinn's hand. There his gaze rested.   
  
"He doesn't care how much he harms another to reach his goals, to get what he wants. I wonder if Padawan Kenobi is still alive?"   
  
The padawan didn't think what he said would really matter. It was statement born out of hope, though he knew it wouldn't deter the big Jedi master from searching for his captive apprentice anyway. Silently Anakin hoped, no wished they would not have to track the person responsible for such a heinous crime. However, he knew his wish not to go search for Kenobi would and could never be an option in their decision.   
  
Anakin Skywalker had suddenly developed a case of homesickness for the temple. To be more precise, he missed the safety of the Jedi temple back on Coruscant. Fighting the sith lord didn't seem as intriguing and adventuresome now.   
  
No, now intrigue and adventure was replaced with thoughts of fear. Fear and anxiety was the train of thought for the apprentice, who had yet to be in a real battle let alone one with the most deadly of fighters another force sensate. It wouldn't be like fighting a cumbersome Hutts, or even the more cunning but no less physically inept Jawa's of the desert.   
  
Jinn made a slow turn toward Xanatos' apprentice, stood for a moment, and glared daggers at the boy, who still failed to notice him.   
  
Padawan Skywalkercontinued his thoughts of the dangerousness of battling a sith and paid no attention to Master Jinn who simmered over his words until with clenched fists started to make his way closer to the padawan.   
  
Crion wanted to step in between both of them to save his apprentice, but thought better of it. He saw the fire in his master's eyes and he did not want to step in between and wind up being the recipient of Jinn's fist to his jaw. Qui-Gon looked that angry.   
  
Surprisingly, it was Knight Quinlan Vos who stepped up and more or less saved Anakin. He didn't particularly care for Anakin any more than Anakin had any compassion for Obi-Wan, but he knew Master Jinn would regret his actions if he did strike the boy. He did it solely to benefit Qui-Gon Jinn and his reputation within the Jedi order.   
  
###The sith lord's ship###   
  
"Forgive me Master. I am not sure what you mean?"   
  
"Diablo only a few minutes ago I lavished you with praise for you intelligence and now you seem to have lost it all. How else can I put it?"   
  
There was a long pause. Diablo waited for his master to explain.   
  
"I want the Jedi child taken off the ship. I want him stripped of his tunic and boots, staked and tied spread eagle on the ground."   
  
"That will accomplish what Master and why the boots?"   
  
It seemed odd to Diablo to take off the boy's boots. If he were staked there, he certainly wasn't going to run off, especially with the force inhibitor on.   
  
"Because I am in such a good mood. A good killing or two does that for me, I will tell you."   
  
"While you saw to reviving the boy, I sent two Red Guard on an errand. They have been given an order to find an insect native to this area."   
  
With the information about the other Red Guard and their *errand*, Diablo was even more confused.   
  
" And? What are we going to do with them when we get them?"   
  
"There is where the removed shirt, boots and socks come in. We release the nasty little critters on the child. Of course we wait for the Jedi. You probably aren't as familiar with them as I am. I have used the insects for the same purpose I plan to use them on the young Jedi. Let me give you a little lesson in Entomology, or in simpler terms, the study of bugs. In a few minutes your men will come back with bugs, insects; their name, spiny green-backed leech worms. They belong to the arthropods family, the very venomous family of anthropoids. So painful and poisonous is their bite. Oh you might not succumb to one or two bites but numerous stings in quick succession are definitely lethal. The flesh where it burrows in and latches on starts to decay within two or three minutes; just rots away and falls off. Not a big spot, the bite I mean but several to begin with then more makes what begins as a nuisance quickly become an unbearable ordeal to be endured until I decide to stop it. Or should I say until Master Jinn decides to stop it. His apprentice's fate will be in his hands and not mine.. Oh the agony it will be for the Jedi apprentice to endure and more agonizing I think for the master to witness for any length of time."   
  
The sith lord rubbed his hands together like a child about to get an ice cream cone.   
  
Now it was clear to Diablo and he like his master loved the idea and the evilness of it.   
  
"Ah that would explain the boots. They can crawl up his legs!! Yes, great idea. Won't they kill him instantly?"   
  
"They would if we released an entire nest of them on him at one time. But that wouldn't be as much fun as watching his master witness the boy's long agonizing torment."   
  
"I get it now. Master Jinn can choose to hand you over the Jedi padawan you really want or you will continue the boy's torture!"   
  
"Yes that is right. You see before I knocked him senseless and unconscious I invaded his mind. Padawan Kenobi has a deep-seeded fear that his master will reject him for the *Chosen One*. I for one couldn't blame Master Jinn if he did just that. However, I think loyalty, that Jedi loyalty in him will keep him from abandoning his apprentice for the Skywalker boy. On one other mission the child even thought his master had left him in order to see to it Skywalker escaped safely. That is how he ended up here with Knight Vos. Now Jinn will really have to choose. Choose to watch his apprentice torturously die or allow me to take the Chosen One to train him in ways of the dark side."   
  
### Back With The Jedi####   
  
There just ahead, the ship. Is Red Guards swarming around it. You were right Master. If I am not mistaken you and I have battled the elite Red Guard, personal bodyguards to the sith lord Darth Sidious, once before Am I right?"   
  
"Yes Quinlan you have an excellent memory. We did go up against a sith back when you could have not been more than Obi's age. At least we know our enemy or somewhat know him. What confuses me is he has Obi-Wan and he had plenty of time to escape, why is the ship still here?"   
  
Xanatos looked around as if he expected to see some of the Red Guard surround them in some kind of trap.   
  
"That is easy Master Jinn. Sidious didn't want to leave. I think he has no plans to leave whatsoever."   
  
Jinn nodded his agreement to Xanatos but kept his gaze on the ship that had both rocket engines on but appeared to have no intention of launching.   
  
"I see some of my training did not go to waste on you Xanatos. Right you are. And…what conclusions do to you draw from what you see."   
  
Escape is not on his agenda. He wants us or one of us. I would say Obi-Wan is his bait and we are his prey."   
  
"Exactly! but why and who does he want?????"   
  
Anakin was getting more than irked with Jinn's little added training session with his master.   
  
"Have you gone back to training my master, Master Jinn or are we going to do something about the problem at hand?"   
  
"You Skywalker, would do well to hold your tongue. I am not your master but I will do everything in my power to see to it you are reprimanded for your lack of respect to me as a Jedi master and Knight Xanatos. We can't rush in without knowing what we are up against."   
  
"I thought you knew, the sith."   
  
At the moment, Anakin didn't care how much reprimanding he would get. He wanted out of this situation alive or at least in better shape than what he thought Kenobi was.   
  
"Yes, but what does he want with us? And he *DOES* want us or *One* of us."   
  
All the Jedi's questions were about to be answered. Two of the Red Guard flanked either side of Darth Sidious as he came out of the ship. A small brigade of even more Red Guard soon followed them. Jinn noticed it then.   
  
Just to the left of the ship, a large tarpaulin was thrown over something. Qui-Gon caught his breath and held it while he watched the "tarp" move. A movement similar to a kicking motion of someone's legs. *Someone * was under it and Jinn didn't have to guess who it was. With the movement of the tarp, QUI-GON **KNEW*  
  
Jinn watched Darth Sidious pull the tarp off his apprentice. The Jedi were not surprised by who was under it. Their surprise, more like confusion was for what the dark lord did next. He personally went over to where Obi-Wan lay and with an instrument that looked like a set of large tweezers, removed from a container in his hand two of the most hideous worm-like bugs imaginable.   
  
Qui-Gon instantly knew what Sidious had planned for Obi-Wan. Yet again the Jedi master's age and experience caused him to be more familiar with the bug than his fellow Jedi, or most of them. Vos' mumbled favorite obscenity caused Jinn to suspect Obi-Wan's guardian knew what Sidious had planned. After all, Quinlan had been a permanent resident on Tolan's home world for several months, close to a year now.   
  
Master Jinn's fear caused his voice to be gruffer and his involuntary held breath made the words come out in raspy gasps, which sounded like small belches…   
  
"NO…. DON'T", this can. be handled another way, any way."   
  
Qui-Gon gulped in a long deep cleansing breath and held it.   
  
"Don't…. torture the boy because of some misguided vengeance against the Jedi. "  
  
Along with his words, the Jedi master exhaled a long and drawn out cleansing breath… He hoped to expel his mounting fear along with that deep breath. Enough that at least the dark lord wouldn't see his uncontrolled passionate emotions as a weakness in his Jedi prowess and use it against him where Obi-Wan was concerned.   
  
"He has never done anything to you to warrant this. Get on the ship and just go. Leave my apprentice and I will not follow you. Of course, I will have to notify the council of Emperor Tolan's death and *who* caused it, but I personally will not seek retribution now. Leave and know you will not be followed by any of us."   
  
"I don't know whether I want to puke or stand up and applaud you, Jedi Master Jinn. Such dedication and loyalty to one so inept is definitely commendable. Isn't that how you thought of your apprentice when you left him once before at the hands of the Bulenese to save that one, that he was less worthy than the other apprentice now with you?"   
  
Sidious drew his saber. Jinn didn't move a muscle. He certainly was not going to unsheathe his as a threat to the Dark lord. He wouldn't do anything that would jeopardize Obi. He also held his hand up to stop the antsy Xanatos and Anakin from pulling their sabers out in a defensive pose. Vos seemed to realize that a saber drawn on the dark lord with a captured apprentice and Red Guard everywhere was not a wise thing to do, not for any of them, but particularly not for the Kenobi who twisted and turned as if to fight his way out of an impossible position.   
  
Some of the taut rigidity in Jinn's body caused by the threat of an attack by Darth Sidious, left the giant master as he watched Sidious only use his saber to point at the "one" he spoke of, the other padawan, Anakin Skywalker. Things became clearer in Jinn's mind. He understood more than when he arrived.   
  
//Somehow, someway Darth Sidious has found out who the Jedi suspect Anakin is, the "Chosen One". //  
  
Jinn bit his lip until he drew blood. He hoped the minor pain he inflicted on himself would help keep him focused on Obi-Wan's situation and his possible pending intense pain. He also knew the mental damage done to Obi-Wan by Sidious was just about as hard on the boy and the physical. Sidious was notoriously famous at torturing his captives, mental or physical. To have it spoken, though untrue that Jinn abandoned Obi once before, had to be mentally tortuous on the child.   
  
Qui-Gon cringed with the memory of assisting his then master, Yoda retrieve two Jedi knights unlucky enough to be captured by the dark lord. One died, the other never spoke o a coherent sentence after his *torture* at the hands of the evil one.   
  
A dark foreboding look came over Qui-Gon's face. This man before him would not negotiate on anything. Why Master Jinn thought for even a moment that Sidious would be more lenient with a young one's life at stake was beyond him. Jinn suddenly grew angry over the seemingly impossible situation.   
  
"Alright Sidious, what is it you want? There must be something or my apprentice wouldn't be alive right now. You would have left. No, you are using him as bait, but for what? If there is any way possible to see you get what you want, I will do it?"   
  
It wasn't that Qui-Gon Jinn didn't know the answer or thought he did, he just wanted verbal confirmation of it.   
  
"Now, now, Master Jinn, what would Master Yoda think of you and how easily you cave in. I thought Jedi had a tight rein on their emotions. I assumed I would have to torture the boy to get what I want. Now you have already offered it up without even one little leech worm being dropped. Can't have that can we? I think you should witness a tiny bit of these little bugs' power. Because frankly, I don't think when you hear what I want, you can hand it to me as easily as you think. No, I think a little demonstration is in order. If not for your benefit, then for mine. I can't have my men work so hard to find these little creatures and do nothing with them."   
  
Jinn and Vos watched in horror. Obi-Wan would have screamed at just the idea of the bug being dropped on his chest, but his mouth was gagged. The thought of his apprentice's immense fear of little creepy crawly creatures passed through the mind of Obi's master as Sidious dangled one of the squirming worms over the bare chest of his apprentice. Obi-Wan had no knowledge of what the nasty little worm-like bug was capable of.   
  
He was however, as Master Jinn's remembered, terribly afraid of anything that resembled the pesky little six inch worm that was about to fall on him... Just from listening to Sidious and the fear he saw on his master's face, gave him all the information he needed. Obi became even more terrified of the little creature just by the terror in his master's gaze.   
  
Padawan Kenobi, for one didn't want a demonstration of their ability, especially not with him being part of that gory demonstration. Jinn didn't know if he actually let out a groan or only thought about it.   
  
The little creature latched onto to Obi's chest like a babe suckling milk from its mother. Blood flowed; just a tiny trickle but Jinn knew with that trickle of blood was immense stinging that would only grow worse as the worm burrowed its way under Obi-Wan's skin.   
  
By now, the Jedi master had a very clear idea of how Sidious planned to torture his apprentice.   
  
He asked again, what Sidious wanted. He did it only to keep the dark lord focused on him and maybe that way he wouldn't drop the other worm that he still dangled over Obi-Wan.   
  
"What is it you want of me? Just tell me what I can do to prevent this, all of it."   
  
"Yes, you are wise Master Jinn. I find that is not the case with all Jedi masters. Some would allow their apprentices' to die for the Jedi virtue and loyalty you are so noted for. Yes, you are correct there is something you can give me that will stop the torture of your apprentice. It will also insure your life. Well temporarily for it will only be a matter of time before we meet again. I will give you safe passage off this planet with your apprentice and I only want one little thing from you. Now how fair can that be?"   
  
"Depends on what that one thing is Darth Sidious. Name it and let me be the one to judge how fair you are being."   
  
As Qui-Gon waited for Sidious to name his price for his apprentice's freedom ,he mentally went through how to handle Sidious' dark request; one child's life for another's. He couldn't let Obi-Wan lay there and be tortuously and agonizingly eaten alive by the leech worms. However, he didn't know if he could just hand another Jedi apprentice, another child, though granted, a potentially darksider already, to Darth Sidious to train further in the ways of evil, C.O.U.L.D. H.E. ?   
  
"Come on Master Jinn care to ask why I am willing to give your apprentice back to you? I think you can. Better than that, I think you know already what I want. I am right aren't I?"   
  
Qui-Gon refused to answer the dark lord. He knew that every eye was on him, even Xanatos Crion's, the master to the one Sidious wanted.   
  
The Jedi master took time to make a discreet glance toward his former apprentice, as the silence remained. He didn't want to blurt out what he knew, what Sidious suspected he knew and most of all what Xanatos would more than likely have a quick and negative answer upon hearing Sidious' proposition for a trade off of apprentices.   
  
No, he would let Darth Sidious do the dirty work on this one. Let him name his price for Kenobi and Jinn would watch the reaction of both Xanatos Crion and his apprentice, Anakin Skywalker when Sidious delivered his proposition.   
  
Qui-Gon wasn't sure if he really contemplated the idea of a trade between apprentices or not. One part of him, mainly ruled by his heart, wanted too with all that he was. The other part ruled by his mind and his Jedi traits, said it was an impasse. One could not be traded for the other. After all, one was no more important than the other one. To Sidious the Chosen One was the sought after apprentice.   
  
Jinn had learned his lesson over the last several months that for him Obi-Wan was far more valuable in so many ways not Jedi that Jinn couldn't fathom going through his life without him. Now in Jinn's heart the boy had buried himself so deep that Qui-Gon knew he would always be there. It would not be as it was with the other apprentice. Vos had taught him some well learned lessons about love and cherishing those you do love, have loved, and let go.   
  
"Well Master Jinn, if you would come back to reality I want an answer. You know what I want. Tell your companions what it is."   
  
"I am not sure I know. I know what I suspect. I however, don't want to be the one to say it. What don't you spit it out Darth Sidious. You are the one with the idea and in such a hurry, you tell them. Better yet, speak with Xanatos Crion. I am sure he will be the one with the most objections."   
  
Xanatos stood silent and off to the side. He watched all that had taken place. He didn't know until the worm was dropped why it was there. After he saw the pain Obi was in from just one little bug gnarling its way through Obi's flesh, it didn't take much of an imagination what the dark lord had planned.   
  
Anakin was still oblivious to everything. He didn't have a clue what Darth Sidious wanted. When he looked up to see Xanatos staring at him, his master's ashen colored face alarmed him. Crion braved stepping forward. He suspected what Sidious wanted and he would not get it. No matter how much he and his apprentice did not get along, he would not allow him to be traded. Xani quite truthfully thought Anakin was the best of the bargain between him and Obi-Wan and that he should be protected over Kenobi.   
  
//He is the chosen one and in that he is more important than that little do-gooder apprentice I now have captive. //  
  
It suddenly donned on Xanatos at that moment that Darth Sidious must have found out Anakin's suspected identity some way. Yes that's it, thought Crion. //He knows my apprentice is the supposed *Chosen One* and what ruler wouldn't want him to be at his side to guide and apprentice in his ways. In Darth Sidious' case, his evil ways. //  
  
"Sidious I think perhaps you ask the wrong person for permission. I think you actually presume to exchange Kenobi for my apprentice is that correct?"   
  
For the first time in his young life, Anakin knew what fear, real fear was. He could only stare at his master and then Jinn as he listened to the exchange between his own master and the one who wanted evidently to be his master, Darth Sidious.   
  
"Well I see Jinn's apprentice or former one is just about as smart as you are. Yes, that is precisely what I want and if I don't get it, Jinn's apprentice will die.   
  
"What makes you think we would trade one's death for another's. I don't think there is anything written in the Jedi code book for such a macabre exchange. It is not there because it wouldn't ever be done."   
  
Xanatos looked to Jinn as if he wanted him to reiterate what he such said. No such backing for his former apprentice's words came. Xanatos became even more worried with the thought that Qui-Gon was actually contemplating such an exchange.   
  
"You know very well I don't plan to allow your apprentice to die Knight Crion. He will have the best of life that can be granted."   
  
Until now, Sidious had been enjoying himself, taunting Master Jinn and the start of the apprentice's torture. Xanatos Crion's refusal to hand over his apprentice halted all that. Sidious wasn't often refused what he wanted.   
  
"Up start little knight aren't you Crion? I wonder what gives you so much back bone to think you can deny me anything I want. I mean I can kill this one and take your apprentice anyway. In fact ,I can kill all of you. I thought my little trade off deal would be more to your liking but if you would prefer the death of all of you instead of a trade with the boys then I can arrange that as well."   
  
Sidious cocked his head to the side held up higher the last worm he had already out of the case and dropped it.   
  
Qui-Gon didn't see what part of Obi-Wan's body the worm was dropped on and luckily he also didn't see the terror-filled eyes of his apprentice when it was dropped. Sidious threw the tarp back over Obi-Wan .   
  
Jinn made a step toward Sidious and four blasters came down off the shoulders of the Red Guard, all of them directed at him. They were very protective of Sidious and they should be. Right about that moment was when Jinn had an urge to grab the dark lord's neck with his large calloused hands and squeeze the life out of him.   
  
"Let us get down to business Master Jinn. You know I want the "Chosen One". Yes I have put two and two together with the help of Tolan. Stupid man, he tried to blackmail me. Said if I left and didn't help him I couldn't keep Obi-Wan. After that he let the information that he'd heard from Knight Vos out."   
  
Jinn swung around and cast Quinlan a long hard look.   
  
Quinlan only shrugged his shoulders.   
  
"No one ever told me I couldn't tell anyone Anakin was the *supposed* Chosen One. I had my doubts about him anyway."   
  
"You shouldn't have doubts Knight Vos."   
  
Qui-Gon didn't have a chance to reprimand the young knight. Sidious was anxious to tell what he knew or what he felt from the boy.   
  
"He didn't offer the information to me. I felt a strong one in the force and not all of that was of pure goodness and light. Of course you suspect that already don't you Master Jinn? I know you do."   
  
Jinn had no words for what Sidious' knew now about Anakin. His anxiousness to train the one so powerful had nearly cost Jinn his apprentice, he might still lose his apprentice but he knew now the truth of how he felt about Anakin Skywalker and his astute powers.. He regretted that Sidious was able to pick up on Anakin's strength in the force and his weakness that leaned toward the dark side.   
  
The one they spoke of, Anakin Skywalker had remained silent. Had you asked him, he wouldn't have attributed his silence to fear but that was exactly what caused his thoughts to remain unspoken. Had it been before they came to retrieve Jinn's apprentice Anakin would have had an entirely different answer than what he thought Master Jinn would give concerning the trade off. Had it been while they trained and went on missions together without Obi, Anakin would have said Qui-Gon would easily choose him over Obi-Wan.   
  
Now though he could tell Master Jinn saw through his façade. He was no more a Jedi apprentice than Darth Sidous was. Yes, he did border the dark and he loved it. Maybe not loved it but enjoyed it in the sense he loved living on the edge, reveled at the thought of power, unfettered and power. Of course that would meean he couldn't be a Jedi.   
  
Jedi controlled their own in everything, from thought to actions, to the way you dressed even wore your hair. However, Ani certainly didn't want his life to end here and now, even if it meant he would have to remain a Jedi for now.   
  
//Maybe Sidious is afraid of the power I possess, that one day I will become more powerful than even him. Maybe that is why he wants me; to do away with me now before my power grows and matures into something he can't manipulate or control.//  
  
While his thoughts were boastful, his actions or words thus far hadn't been. The more Anakin thought about it, the more he was convinced Master Jinn would indeed trade him a potential dark sider anyway, for Obi-Wan, the miracle apprentice so pure and good. He had wanted his master to do something. Sure, Crion had *said* something, but Anakin felt Xanatos should have raised his saber right then and there. //Shown them whose was boss.//   
  
Too bad Anakin hadn't bothered to shield his thoughts from his master.   
  
//The proper time or way to engage an enemy is not when he has you captured. Especially if your enemy is a sith who holds as much power from the dark force as we have power of good. No, we have to *wait out* our enemy. Remember, a proper time and a proper place for everything and *now* is neither to attack Sidious with all his men surrounding us. //  
  
That wasn't good enough. Anakin knew now his master had been privy to his thoughts. No matter Crion's instructions to his apprentice, Anakin wanted something done right now to prevent Sidious from taking him total captive as Obi-Wan was.   
  
Fear has a way of making one do things they don't ordinarily do. Showing bravery was not something Anakin Skywalker had done thus far and though he thought what he planned was an act of bravery, in reality it was a compulsive and stupid reaction to the fearful situation his own life had suddenly taken with Sidious' announcement of an intended trade.   
  
Anakin did something totally un-Anakin and completely out of character, well it certainly wasn't any characteristic his master or grand master had ever witnessed. He drew his light saber, out of fear and not bravery, ignited it, and leveled it directly at Darth Sidious himself…………………..   
  
PEACE ewen 


End file.
